Pep Guardiola expressed his shock after Tottenham Hotspur delivered a crushing 4-0 defeat to Manchester City, putting the "Citizens" in uncharted territory. The result marked their fifth consecutive loss—something Guardiola had never envisioned, neither as a player nor as a coach. 

This thrashing marked the fourth time a Guardiola-led team has lost by four or more goals. The previous instances were against Barcelona (4-0 in 2016), Real Madrid (0-4 in 2014 with Bayern Munich), and Everton (4-0 in 2016). Additionally, it was the first time since 2003 that Manchester City lost by four goals at home, when Arsenal, led by Thierry Henry and Dennis Bergkamp, defeated them 5-1. Back then, City’s marquee players included Nicolas Anelka and a veteran Robbie Fowler.

The current five losses equal the total number of defeats City suffered throughout last season, leaving a team accustomed to near-invincibility in a state of disarray. While the absence of Rodrigo Hernández, who sustained an ACL injury in September and is out for the rest of the season, appears to be a major factor, it is not the only issue.

Beyond Rodri

Statistics show that without Rodri, City scores fewer goals, concedes more, takes fewer shots on target, completes fewer passes, and earns fewer points. Guardiola admitted the midfielder is irreplaceable, and the duo of Rico Lewis and Ilkay Gündogan was exposed against Tottenham. Lewis lacks the experience to command the midfield, and Gündogan no longer has the stamina of his peak years. Additionally, Mateo Kovacic, Rodri's most natural replacement, will be sidelined for three to four weeks due to injury.

City's defensive transitions are equally concerning. With two relatively slow center-backs in John Stones and Rúben Dias, the speed of Manuel Akanji is crucial, but the Swiss defender has also been injured. Kyle Walker’s ability to cover defensively from the right flank has become indispensable, but at 34, he is enduring his worst season, possibly due to age or recurring muscle issues. The ease with which Timo Werner outpaced him during Tottenham’s fourth goal would have been unthinkable just months ago.

Other players have also underperformed. Bernardo Silva, Jack Grealish, and Phil Foden have failed to step up, while Kevin De Bruyne has barely featured this season due to injuries.

Erling Haaland: Strong Numbers, Limited Impact

With 15 goals in 17 matches, Haaland remains the Premier League’s top scorer, but his influence is minimal in games where he doesn’t find the net. Against Tottenham, he missed two one-on-one chances in the opening five minutes that could have drastically altered the match. Moreover, City chose to sell Julián Álvarez, who sought a starting role, and Liam Delap, now thriving at Ipswich Town. Both could have provided crucial bench options. 

Winter Transfers?

Manchester City has the resources to strengthen during the winter transfer window, especially after a summer of net positive spending. However, they also need their injury crisis to subside.

Currently, City trails Premier League leaders Liverpool by eight points. This Sunday, the "Reds" visit the Etihad, where a loss could stretch the gap to 11 points. Only two teams in history have overturned such a deficit: Arsenal in the 1997-1998 season (11 points behind Manchester United) and Manchester United in 1995-1996 (12 points behind Newcastle United).

Liverpool is just the second team in Premier League history to hold such a commanding lead after 12 matches. The only team to surpass this was Manchester United in the 1993-1994 season, with a nine-point advantage at the same stage.