Pep Guardiola, the “El Mago” who brought a new soccer philosophy to Manchester City and turned them into a European powerhouse. But even the best have their off days, right? This season, Guardiola’s Cityzens is in a bit of a rough patch, and not just because their title defense has hit a few snags. Injuries, inconsistency, defensive mistakes — it’s all piling up. After a historic treble-winning season in 2022-2023, the 2023-2024 campaign has been more turbulent for Guardiola and his team. Only one win in their last 11 matches across all competitions? That’s not the Manchester City we’ve all come to know and fear. And USMNT legend Tim Howard has something to add about the Spaniard.

Meanwhile, as Pep searches for answers, Ruben Amorim has been making his mark, delivering two massive victories against Manchester City, including a stunning 2-1 win with Manchester United on December 15. With Amorim’s rising stock as a tactician, it seems like Guardiola is no longer the unbeatable force he once was. So, what’s going on with City? Let’s break it down.

The challenges piling up and the new threats to Pep’s dominance

Pep’s usually got everything under control. This season, though, it’s been a different story. Sure, City entered the season as the defending champs, ready to crush it again. But instead, they’ve been more “meh” than “majestic.” The loss against Newcastle on August 19, 2023, was an alarm bell ringing that perhaps Pep’s side are not an unstoppable force as they once might have been. This hasn’t just been affected by that loss’s form in a 2-1 defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers at the end of September revealed wider ramifications. In their last five matches, the team has secured only one victory, underscoring a significant decline in performance. The defeats to Liverpool (0-2) and Aston Villa (1-2) have been particularly disheartening, highlighting defensive vulnerabilities and a lack of cohesion.

This worsens when you factor in the injury crisis. Top players such as Kevin De Bruyne and Jack Grealish have spent too much time out due to injuries, leaving Guardiola struggling with answers. And as Tim Howard said on Unfiltered Soccer, “Pep looks the same, he just doesn’t know what to do. Matheus Nunes has an absolute shocker the last five minutes, and he just doesn’t know what to do.”

Meanwhile, despite signing a two-year contract extension at Etihad, Guardiola is reportedly planning a significant overhaul. Spanish football expert Guillem Balague per the Daily Record claims, “Quite clearly, Pep Guardiola is going to use the last two years of his contract…to prepare a new Manchester City.” The report highlights that key players like Kevin De Bruyne, Phil Foden, Ruben Dias, Ederson, and Kyle Walker could be among those moved on as Guardiola looks to refresh his squad. Guardiola himself admitted, “I’m the boss, I’m the manager and I’m not good enough… there is no defense for eight defeats in 11.” He acknowledged that something was wrong as City faced an unexpected downturn in form.

That is a tough pill for a man who has made City the envy of Europe to swallow, but it has been hard to ignore the cracks beginning to appear in the armor.

Amid growing pressure from rivals, what’s next for Pep and City?

United’s Ruben Amorim outsmarts Pep Guardiola with counter-attacking football, solid defense, and quick transitions. While Guardiola relies on possession and pressing, Amorim’s team plays compactly, exploiting City’s vulnerabilities. His team structure and set plays have already recorded two impressively huge wins over City, which proves that his tactical approach is really a headache for Pep. “Twice now, Amorim has beaten Pep in the last month and a half,” Landon Donovan said on Unfiltered Soccer. This just adds to the speculations regarding Guardiola’s progress in outwitting his opponents, since if a budding manager like Amorim can keep Guardiola in constant angst, what would that mean in the long run for the club?

The troubles seem to multiply, and the pressure seems to be rising. Injuries, a lack of cohesion, and tactical misfires: Guardiola’s usual magic cannot save City this time. So, do you think he can recover? Does he need a complete overhaul to get back on track, or will he change his tactics to again return the team to glory? Let us know below!