Manchester City, the dominant force in English football for over a decade, finds itself once again under the Premier League's microscope. This time, however, the allegations are not about intricate financial dealings or sponsorship controversies, but something seemingly more mundane: breaches of kick-off timing regulations. Recent reports confirm that City has been hit with a substantial fine of £1.08 million for delaying kick-offs and re-starts on nine separate occasions during the 2024/25 season. While a million-pound fine might seem like a drop in the ocean for a club of City's financial might, these sanctions underscore a deeper tension within the Premier League – a battle between sporting integrity, commercial interests, and the relentless demands of a global broadcasting behemoth. This isn't merely a trivial matter of punctuality. It speaks to the meticulous choreography of modern football, where every second is accounted for, and every deviation from the schedule has...
Manchester City lost their fifth consecutive match in all competitions, extending Pep Guardiola's worst managerial run.
Here, we examine the reigning Premier League winners' dismal recent form following Saturday's humbling home defeat to Tottenham.Tottenham 2 Manchester City 1 (Carabao Cup, October 30)
Spurs began this sequence of defeats by preventing City from adding to their four League Cup victories under Guardiola this season. Timo Werner and Pape Sarr scored in the opening 25 minutes, and while Matheus Nunes reduced the deficit, City were unable to recover at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.Bournemouth 2-1 Manchester City, Premier League, November 2.
Manchester City's unexpected fall continued at Bournemouth.Again, City fell behind 2-0, with Evanilson's second-half goal adding to Antoine Semenyo's early opener. They responded with a goal from defender Josko Gvardiol, but they lost consecutive games for the first time in over a year. It also brought an end to the league's 32-match unbeaten streak.
Champions League, November 5: Sporting Lisbon 4, Manchester City 1.
Premier League: Brighton 2, Manchester City 1 (November 9).
Erling Haaland put City ahead, but goals from substitutes Joao Pedro, returning from injury, and Matt O'Riley, making his Premier League debut, turned the game around. It was not just Guardiola's longest losing streak as manager, but it was also the first time City had lost a Premier League match in which Haaland scored.
Spurs were on their way to victory at the Etihad Stadium when James Maddison scored.
Manchester City 0 Tottenham 4, Premier League, November 23.
The season's low point came just two days after City revealed that manager Guardiola had signed a two-year contract extension. An evening that began with a celebration of injured Rodri's Ballon d'Or victory ended in an embarrassing defeat, with James Maddison's first-half brace compounded early in the second half by Pedro Porro, who had not played a game for City in three years. Brennan Johnson, a substitute, finished the humiliation in additional time. City had never lost three consecutive Premier League matches under Guardiola, but this defeat was the club's worst losing skid since a run of six in 2006. It was a spectacular conclusion to City's 52-game unbeaten streak at the Etihad Stadium, which had lasted since November 2022.
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