Manchester Metropolis’s conflict with Newcastle United on the Etihad Stadium tomorrow might be a defining second of their season.
After a demoralising 3-2 defeat towards Actual Madrid within the Champions League, Pep Guardiola’s facet should shortly refocus on the Premier League, the place their top-four hopes are hanging within the steadiness.
Metropolis have now misplaced 5 video games from profitable positions this season – matching their whole from the earlier 4 campaigns mixed.
Their collapse towards Madrid was the most recent instance of a worrying development that has seen them lose management of matches in essential moments. Guardiola his group has been struggling.
“We have now all the time been so snug with the ball, and now we’re not so,” he mentioned. “You then should depend on a bodily presence, and our physicality shouldn’t be like different groups.”
That vulnerability was brutally uncovered of their final league sport – a 5-1 thrashing by Arsenal. The defeat left Metropolis in fifth place, 18 factors behind Liverpool and two factors adrift of fourth-placed Chelsea.
Their file towards Newcastle suggests a response is probably going. They’ve crushed the Magpies in 15 consecutive residence league matches and have misplaced simply as soon as of their final 34 Premier League conferences.
Nevertheless, Newcastle have received their final 4 league video games on the highway, together with at Manchester United, Tottenham and Arsenal.
Guardiola is below no illusions in regards to the risk they pose. “They all the time have been [a difficult side] since Eddie Howe took over,” he added. “They’ve good type and unbelievable tempo. It’s a credit score to them.”
Metropolis’s defensive points are deepening. Manuel Akanji has been dominated out for as much as ten weeks after struggling an abductor harm, additional limiting Guardiola’s choices on the again.
Jack Grealish can be a doubt after limping off towards Actual Madrid.
Metropolis’s issues are mounting, and Newcastle’s confidence is hovering. In the event that they fail to impose themselves, one other setback may depart them in deep trouble.