Chelsea’s 3–1 collapse at Elland Road was more than a bad night; it was a brutal tactical lesson that exposed every weakness in Enzo Maresca’s defensive structure and mentality. From set‑pieces to second balls, from build‑up mistakes to emotional control, Leeds turned Chelsea’s “control football” into chaos – and forced Maresca to confront what has to change if his project is going to survive the Premier League’s harshest tests. Setting the scene: a title chase derailed This defeat did not arrive in isolation. It came three days after Chelsea’s heroic 10‑man draw against Arsenal and shortly after a draining European run, at a point when the narrative around Maresca was cautiously shifting towards “title outsider” rather than “transition season.” Leeds, newly promoted and inside the bottom three at kick‑off, were supposed to be the type of away assignment that defines serious contenders: ugly, intense, but ultimately controlled. Instead, Chelsea left Yorkshire nine points off top spot...
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.
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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