City in CRISIS | Pep to resign? | Liverpool could get ugly
49:37 Share

Learn from the world's best all in one place with Masterclass, the only streaming platform where you can learn and grow with over 200 of the world's best. Masterclass always has great offers during the holidays, sometimes up to as much as 50% off. Head over to masterclass.com slash Spotify for the current offer. That's up to 50% off at masterclass.com slash Spotify.

This episode is brought to you by Honda. When you test drive the all-electric Prologue SUV, there's a lot that can impress you about it. There's the generous passenger space, the clean, thoughtful design, and the intuitive technology. But out of everything, what you'll really love most is that it's a Honda. Visit Honda.com slash EV to see offers.

70,000 people are here and Bob Dylan is the reason for it. Inspired by the true story. If anyone is going to hold your attention on a stage, it's going to be a freak. Are you a freak? Hope so. And starring Timothee Chalamet as Bob Dylan. How does it feel?

He defied everyone. Turn it down! They lied. To change everything. Make some noise, BD. Timothee Chalamet. Edward Norton. Elle Fanning. Monica Barbaro. A complete unknown. Only in theaters Christmas Day. Rated R. Under $17.99 without parent. ♪

Hello, welcome to the Talking City podcast coming to you from the Manchester Evening News. My name is Joe Bray. I'm joined by Simon Bajkowski, who is at Manchester City again for another press conference and another press conference where Pep Guardiola has had to defend his side because on the back of five defeats, we thought it was going to go to plan. We thought they needed a big win. They were getting that big win and then 15 minutes against Feyenoord, three attacks, three goals, 3-0 turned into 3-3 and

The crisis goes on, six games without a win, and just what you need up next, Liverpool away. We'll be discussing all of that. It's a really tricky one, Si, because we spend so long talking about City winning every game. I think...

For us, it's sort of a welcome change that maybe if they're not doing well, it's something to get our teeth into. And we don't want to see City losing all the time, but it's different and it's interesting why this incredible team aren't winning. And then they don't win another game and another one, and suddenly they've completely forgotten how to win. And that was all the more evident against Feyenoord, because they were 3-0 up and cruising. Pep Guardiola thinks he can make these changes to think ahead to the next game and win.

One mistake leads to another and another, and the head's dropped and they have genuinely forgotten how to win. And I think this is one of the more worrying ones of the run because they're in such a commanding position. Yeah, is it still interesting that they're not winning games? I mean, apparently so, but it's...

it's not the best when the fundamental issue is they've just got loads of players injured because it sounds really boring and it sounds like a big excuse. You're like, why don't you have more players then? And you're sort of like, you know, even, you know, I got asked this morning about City's poor recruitment this summer. You're like, yeah, it might be poor recruitment and they might have sort of should have got more players in in the summer. But,

I'm not sure that that would have solved the problems they've got at the minute. And I'm not sure that, you know, it would have been an issue if they didn't have so many injuries. And yeah, you can account for some of the injuries, but not all of them. They've just kind of been unlucky. But it is fascinating to see this City team where they are. And like the three-all against Feyenoord, I completely agree. It's probably the worst of the six results, despite them actually getting a point in there. Because it's just...

Like, really, really inexplicable how they went from 3-0 15 minutes ago to 3-all. And probably the most galling point about it is that it should have been a big rewrite for every journalist there. Because the Premier League champions 3-0 up against the Dutch team fourth in the league 15 minutes ago end up drawing. But everyone had kind of already written

then they don't look like a good football inside. So it didn't take too much more to sort of change to reflect the result rather than the performance. So yeah, not good. And like you say, not good to have Liverpool away up next.

I think as well, the worrying thing was after the first goal, you can see it coming. The first one, you know, he's brought on a teenage defender because he's got no other defenders. And we spoke about the knock-on effect of all the injuries and Rodri especially. And you're moving players out of position as well as just missing those important players. You've got Sips and Pusey players that are not great. Paul to Gavardio, who's desperately out of form, plays it short and suddenly they're back in it. But in any other season, even a couple of months ago,

instead of one three one instead of three nil and that would have been that but the heads you could see like almost physically the heads dropped and and everything was worried and the crowd got worried and Guardiola looks worried and and it all stems from that it is rare that one goal leads to to three but it's another game is it four in a row now where they just concede quick in succession and it

i mean gladiolus used the word fragile a couple of times now in in different contexts and different games and it i mean it it's true and yes they are missing the four central defenders and have been over various points of the season but you should be allowed to make those changes though those three changes where he takes off gundaganake and foden for various reasons some of them need fitness some of them need sort of resting for for liverpool

You bring on Kevin De Bruyne, even if he's not fully fit, he's an incredible player. And McAtee, we spoke about him in the build-up. He should be fit because he's not really played. He should have the legs and the control. I think Pep said today about he guarantees that control. And yes, Simpson Pusey is a young lad and has been thrown in very much at the deep end in some really difficult circumstances. But this should be where you do get to throw him in and see what he does. But

with that's not putting any blame on him it's just everything everything drops and you've got some experienced players on that pitch it shouldn't be allowed to happen when you've got edison rushing out for that ball in the last minute it's one then what are you doing that we know edison is erratic

But does he do that when everything's going swimmingly or does he trust his defenders? It's just a lot of different questions you raise of why is it happening? I think when I say it's interesting that they're still not winning, I think it's more to do with that. They've lost that mental edge that they always had. And even earlier in the season, they were conceding first, but quickly they were getting the goals or they were getting the last minute goals to save a point or a win.

Now it's very, very uncharacteristic from a lot of players who are used to winning. I mean, you looked on the bench when Feyenoord got their equaliser. Kyle Walker hasn't played, he's been dropped. He's arguing with the Feyenoord bench over something. I'm not sure what. Everything just seems off and everyone seems to be feeling the pressure. Yeah, I mean, you put it pretty well. If it's not one thing, it's something else. That is just...

a factor in everything going wrong. And, you know, Guardiola's had two games where he's kind of done a lot of good, but then he's just, the moments of madness that he's had have been so costly, it's wiped all of that out. Edison has had two games where he's made a lot of important saves, but there's just no kind of defending what he's done.

for the final equalizer. And yeah, it's, it's just too much. It's too much for city to handle at the minute, everything. Um, they, they can't cope with very much at all. Having had four seasons, seven seasons where they've coped with pretty much everything that's thrown at them and brushed it off. It's been, uh, difficult, difficult to see how they've struggled. Um,

because and the thing is it's just there's no there's no kind of shining light to come through and say oh well at least that happened you know you can tell Harlan scored two goals but like

He will score two goals if he's given that service and the penalty, but it's not made any difference because you've drawn three all. So there are no kind of field of factors. We spoke to Gundogan after the game and he was like, well, it was a draw, but it felt like a defeat. And, you know, it's inexplicable why we're in this situation. So everyone around the club basically is at a loss.

and we've got gundagan saying that we had kyle walker coming out after the the tottenham game saying you know people need to sort of sharpen up and take responsibility and it looks like even the the captains and de bruyne said that they've had meetings in recent weeks to try and improve things even those captains who are there maybe playing or not playing don't seem to have the answers and these are players who've been through these tough periods and and won these games and we can always like say come back to the injuries and

if you don't have the players, you can't win or do what you have done because they're not there. And also the players who are playing look like they're absolutely knackered. And that is, I think, Guardiola sums that up in that he's making mistakes that he wouldn't have made a month or two ago because it's just the pressure, the sort of build-up of things. And, you know, I asked Guardiola about Guardiola and I didn't even finish the question and he said, we need to protect him and we need to put our arm around him and he was the best player on the pitch and he's young and he'll learn and,

That is exactly what you want to hear from the manager. He's not going to come out and dig out Guardiola because he's clearly someone who's just short of confidence at the moment. But you need a combination of your experienced players to help the younger players through. And like you say, where is the answer coming from? Is it the players coming back? But you've got De Bruyne coming back slowly and he's not starting yet. You need these players like, say, John Stones when he comes back or Ruben Diaz or Nathan Ake. They need those games to do it and they don't really have those games coming up.

No, and that's why there isn't really an end in sight as to what goes on. You know, it would be, and it was interesting, Pep was asked today, you know, could a win on Sunday like kickstart everything going right again? And he said, no, no, it couldn't because it won't make us stable because we don't have any players available.

And even if we win on Sunday, it doesn't mean we'll win three days later against Forest. So it's pretty bleak at the minute. Guardiola was pretty resigned recently.

when talking about everything, which is a reflection of the fact that they've lost five and then absolutely thrown away a win for the sixth game. And they're playing a Liverpool team who look really, really, really good. So I think it's the first time since April 2017 they've not been favourites to win a game going into this one. And you can absolutely see why.

Yeah, I think everybody who can see games of football over the last month can see that Liverpool are very good and in a lot of form. The last thing City needed after throwing that game away was to see Liverpool play Real Madrid off the park and make them look like an ordinary side with all the players they had at their disposal. I think one of the criticisms aimed at

maybe pep after that fine odd game was those three substitutes he justified it and said we were three no open cruising if you can't make those subs now when can you in hindsight obviously he maybe took his eye off the ball and looked towards liverpool so maybe his players did can you look at that and say that's where it went wrong is there any blame or is it just a freak thing i don't i think the way i see it is if he didn't make it you'd be asking why didn't he make those changes i

Yeah, I think the blame goes fully on the 11 players who are out there. Like, if a manager can't ever make any substitutions because otherwise it will affect the team so much that they mess up, then, you know, it's not a good football club. And I think Guardiola should be allowed to make those three subs in that situation every single time. And it's wholly on all of the players who played, you know,

to do better because it just shouldn't be happening. And yeah, I would not place any blame whatsoever on Guardiola for that. Obviously, he knows the mentality of the squad better than anyone else, but he clearly thought that sending those three players on wouldn't lead to three goals being conceded. And I think that's quite understandable. What isn't understandable is...

the team conceding three goals. And it wasn't those three players who came on who were responsible for it all. It was players who'd already been on the pitch, really. So it's... You know, Guardiola might have to be a bit more circumspect because of things. And we saw when they played Southampton, the likes of McAtee didn't get on the pitch, whereas you might have expected him to. But the manager can only do so much. And I think Tuesday night was...

firmly on the players. I think he'll have learned a lot about the, as I say, he keeps saying fragile, just the mentality and the confidence in the squad because 3-0 at home with 15 minutes to go is when you should be able to think, right, we've got through the bad time, we've got this result and we can look ahead. And yeah, I suppose we can't have it both ways where we're saying on one day that McAtee should be starting more and then on Friday saying, well, actually, don't play him in that situation because that is exactly when

a player who's not played needs to be coming on and making an impact. The first, I mean, obviously the three goals at the end happened. The first 75 minutes or so were better. Feyenoord had a couple of chances and a few misses that you would expect them to score, but City looked more like a City side. Haaland gets a penalty. I'm not sure it was a penalty, but he takes it and his teammates all rush around him and give him that sort of confidence boost.

His second goal is exactly a Haaland goal. The way that he runs to get on the end of that is him, if Haaland, in confidence. And we might not have seen that in recent weeks. Gundogan gets the look he deserves. And you're thinking they're getting a bit of fortune that's completely evaded them. They've got to focus on that first 75 minutes, haven't they? It looked better and it felt like they just cracked something and then obviously undid it afterwards. Yeah, absolutely.

Yeah, they do have to focus on that, I suppose. It's just so hard because there's so little to cling on to because everything is fleeting before it's swept away by the massive problems that exist. You can say, oh yeah, they looked bad, but they were also playing a team that are not at Liverpool's standard. Time will tell if they're at Nottingham Forest's standard.

But it's just one of those, I think there's just so many people at a loss for what to do. And you're right, I think sort of those substitutions will make Guardiola really feel that the problem is kind of even bigger than maybe even he anticipated. But, I mean, they've said, yeah, you just have to double down and go back to your principles and try and keep doing what,

the good that you've been doing because they have had spells where they've played well. And Haaland's second goal on the night was a brilliant City goal that we would expect to see when everyone's playing well. So they are capable of that and they have started well in games. They started really well against Tottenham, but is reacting to bad moments. We kind of know Liverpool will give them bad moments, so it's just how they react, but also how they...

deal in the first place with any good moments they can have because if Harlan can score any half chance that comes his way they've got a lot more margin for error than they would have otherwise. So the result I should have fully checked this before asking you the question the result leaves City in a bit of danger for finishing in that top 24 top 8 what's that? Puts them in a bit of danger for finishing in the top 24 24

Okay, so the 17th, they've got eight points and to finish in the top eight, UX, the sort of general feeling is 16 points, three games left, Juventus and PSG away among them. They've got to win all three now, really, to get that sort of number that people think is going to be the one or something else is going to have to go in their favour. But it's looking like they might have to go through that

uh that playoff round because you don't you're not looking at juventus and psg even though both sides are below city and thinking city can go and and get that those three goals real madrid are currently 24th on six points so they're only only two points ahead of that you would back them to to qualify but it's looking like a playoff that guardiola said he definitely doesn't want

How do you see that? And I mean, they're going to get Real Madrid in that playoff round, aren't they?

Yeah, quite possibly. It's another thing they cannot afford to think about. They can't afford to think about the Champions League right now. Can't afford to think about Juventus. Can't afford to think about Club Bruges. Can't afford to think about PSG because it's just too much for them. It's too much to think about the potential consequences of that. They will have to be mindful of that. And maybe the January transfer business may have to be mindful of that if they think they've got another playoff coming.

But all they can think about is the few days in front of them and then the few days after that and just keep going like that. Because, yeah, top eight in the Champions League looking very unlikely. But at the minute, they've got to, like, the Champions League battle at the minute is finishing the top 24. Because if they play like they did against Feyenoord and if they play like they did in the second half against Sporting, they're not going to.

And that would be kind of the biggest, well, one of the biggest disasters of Guardiola's time at the club, really. I'll tell you what, enough soundbites for me to go out for a title for this podcast. We've had no end in sight. Biggest disasters of Pep's career. I think he was asked today, when does this run turn into a crisis? And he wasn't having any of it, but...

It's not long before that. He wasn't having any of it and then perfectly described what a crisis is in describing his own team. So, yeah, I think they are in crisis and they don't know when they'll come out. But that's just the situation they've got to live. There's another one sitting in crisis.

Yeah. We've got too many titles to pick from here. We'll take a short break there and then we'll come back and look at the little matter of a trip to Liverpool.

Whether you're ordering wings for the game, whipping up a seven-layer dip, or ordering pizza, there's something about football that makes you want to eat. And this football season, Uber Eats has the best deals on game day food. No matter what you're craving, from two-for-one pizza to buy one, get one wings, Uber Eats will be dropping new deals each week, all season long. Uber Eats, official on-demand delivery partner of the NFL. Order now. Terms and conditions apply. See app for details.

Building a portfolio with Fidelity Basket Portfolios is kind of like making a sandwich. It's as simple as picking your stocks and ETFs, sort of like your meats and other topics, and managing it as one big juicy investment. Now that's pretty good. Learn more at fidelity.com slash baskets. Investing involves risk, including risk of loss. Fidelity Brokers Services LLC, member NYSC SIPC.

For over 50 years, Burlington's legacy has been great deals on coats for all weather conditions. So before you're caught unprepared for the winter weather, head to Burlington for name brands, quality items, and surprising fits for every family member. Stock up on coats, sweaters, and accessories before the cold hits so you can finally stop avoiding the elements and start living comfortably. Warm up at your nearest Burlington location less than one mile away. Burlington. Deals. Brands. Wow.

Hello, welcome back to the Talking City podcast. We know what happened against Feyenoord and the five games in front. We know how well Liverpool are playing. We know that it's going to be an almighty task for City to go and do something that they've not done in over 20 years, which is win at Anfield with a crowd there. It would be typical City to somehow pull it out of the bag, or would it?

Yeah, it would. It would. And they are capable of it. You know, Erling Haaland had chances against Tottenham that if they score early on, that's a comfortable win. Bayern should have been a win. They've still got players capable of doing things in big games and still capable of producing big moments. Yeah.

they're just not able to do it over 90 minutes anymore. So if they can do enough in a shorter burst to get over the line, then absolutely possible, but looking unlikely because of their situation.

i would say i think what's worrying is that city's weaknesses play very strongly into liverpool's hands they've got two full backs who are out of form and out of confidence and mo salah who's very much in form and you're the winger whether it's it's probably going to be uh diaz or maybe gapro they're both doing very well at coming inside and getting a goal or an assist here and there you know the liverpool midfield looks to be quite balanced and settled at the moment and

confident as well. City's midfield doesn't know who's playing where, whose role is what. I mean, Guardiola's spoken about Gundogan being the only option at number six, but he'd prefer to play him further forward. Do you play Lewis next to him, but then who pushes into midfield? And there's so many, as we say, knock-on effects. It feels like this balanced Liverpool side and settled Liverpool side

is going to pick off City's weaknesses quite effectively. Even Connor Bradley playing for Liverpool against Real Madrid had an absolutely brilliant game in the week and he played really well at Anfield against City last year. You think, all right, he might play and then he's out and Trent Alexander-Arnold's coming back. Any sort of hope that you can cling to, I think, from a City perspective, there's an argument to suggest, oh, maybe not. Maybe Canarte...

possibly isn't going to play, that might be a weakness that Haaland can prey on, but Van Dijk is going to move very closely to Haaland wherever he goes, and that's going to be a really, really good battle to watch as well. It just feels like

The reason for City not being favourites is very clear. I can see them doing it on the day. If you get Kevin De Bruyne on even for half an hour, him and Haaland can create a goal. Foden often saves his best games for Anfield. So does Gundogan. If he can find a way to be as effective as he can, the chances will be there, but you get the sense that Liverpool will have more chances and the mentality in that City defence and midfield doesn't really bode well.

Yeah, very well put. Yeah, it's just, it feels like everything Liverpool are touching at the minute is coming off, you know, with Kelleher and Bradley and doing so well against Real and City take their eye off the ball for three seconds against Feyenoord and they've let in three goals. So it is, you know, because Liverpool,

would rather be playing the game with Alisson and would rather Trent Alexander-Arnold have been fit for the game as well. It's not like City are the only team with injuries, but Liverpool have just been far better able to cope. And, you know, the criticism of Liverpool for a while this season has been that they have not been spectacular. They've not been the blood and thunder from Klopp. But then if you can turn it on on nights against Real Madrid and things like that, then...

As City have shown, just being an efficient winning machine is often a sign of a team that goes on to be champions. So, you know, I wonder whether there will be a bit of pressure on Liverpool, whether they might be happy to sort of come away with a point. Because certainly after last weekend, they are sort of now out and out. These guys are favourites for the title. But City have just got so many real...

affecting them that make it a good reason why Liverpool are so favourites. I think Pep said something today, didn't he, that even when City were winning all these games, they weren't playing particularly well in every single game. They just did what they had to. And I think Liverpool have gone under the radar a little bit so far this season because Liverpool

they lost to nottingham forest and which turns out to be their only loss but they've not been brilliant even against southampton last last week they didn't play well they just got the win and dug in when they needed to and were two two one down and and got those goals but that is exactly what city has done in in recent years and pep keeps saying he just wants one win let alone a winning run he just wants one win and you can see why and

I think he would love it to be at Anfield, but it's hard for us to find arguments in the build-up that

It's definitely going to happen. I think in recent meetings, you think it's 50-50 or you've got the edge or whatever, but maybe not this time. In terms of selection, Pep Guardiola wasn't very forthcoming on any injury boosts. He just said, we'll see. He's tried and tested favourite in the press conferences we're training today. Let's see who's turning up. Doku wasn't there in the squad against Feyenoord, but he trained before and after Ruben Diaz came back.

but didn't make it off the bench. Kevin Devoyne off the bench again, but still hasn't started a game. You sense that those players will be involved. John Stones is sort of the only one that we're not sure about because he didn't train or play against Feyenoord. And probably you would not expect him to be in the squad or at least start anyway, even if he is. Who are you looking at in that team, in City's strongest team at the moment?

Because I'm looking at the defence as ever. In an ideal world, I think you drop Guardiola and give him just a day off out of the limelight because he is making mistakes. And then you've got Nathan Ake there, that's great, but then you've got to bring Ruben Diaz back and is he ready for 90 minutes? We don't know. Then you're thinking, who plays alongside Gundogan? Is it a Kandy pushing up or Lewis? And then you've got to fit in Kyle Walker somewhere, but he's making mistakes as well. There's not an obvious answer for that back four, back six, is there?

No, I think Ake and Akanji play whatever. Pep did say today that Ake was brought off against Feyenoord because he had 90 minutes at Anfield to do, which will be big because he's not actually played 90 minutes for City this season. So that will be a welcome first if he does manage 90 minutes at Liverpool. So it's probably Ake, Akanji,

And then two out of Lewis and Guardiola were probably expected to play again. And then maybe Diaz and Walker are the outside shouts. It's still a lot. Diaz out for a month to come straight in and come into the team after sort of less than a week's training. And yeah, Walker has had his own injury problems and is making loads of mistakes as well.

So you sort of feel like they have to go with Luis Ingvardial, even though they would probably rather not. Yeah, I genuinely don't know which way he's going, because if you're going on form, then you probably want Ake left back and maybe rush Diaz back a little bit, probably ahead of schedule, just because you've got that experience in that fight and that battle. And even a half-fit Diaz is probably someone you want in that position.

in that sort of battle in that cauldron of Anfield. I'm wondering if he's going to start Walker and just hope, basically hope that he plays well and move Lewis into midfield just to help Gundogan. They looked a little bit

exposed if you like especially when when the game sort of got onto the uh the latter stages against firenode gundogan is is a good player but like kovacic needs someone else there and i don't think you can rely on your center backs or anyone else pushing forward if lewis plays his hybrid uh role from fullback and defensive midfield

I think Liverpool are going to pick it apart and get so much space in behind that City can't afford to give them. So I think he's got a lot of those things to think about. And then it's like, where does Bernardo play? Do you ask him to go in midfield and it's a bit more solid? Or do you put him on the wing? Because he looked OK in the first half, especially against Feyenoord, I thought. And it was that sort of treble winning front three of Bernardo on the right, Grealish on the left, Haaland in the middle. And it worked. They looked a lot more fluid and

then you think, oh, does De Bruyne come back? Where does Foden play? There are a lot of choices, but it's finding that right balance that doesn't leave you exposed on the flanks, but also you want to protect the middle as well because you get the feeling that Liverpool can cut through City, as a lot of teams have done, just straight through the middle. Yeah, I think Bernardo Silva has sort of played a few times in that sort of helping out the holding midfielder situation.

when they've played Liverpool and I would think that that will be the plan again just because whoever else is helping Gundogan will need extra support as well but like the thing is with Guardiola he's been responsible for the worst mistakes in the last two games but at the same time he created eight chances against Spurs like he's one of City's best attacking options at the minute so

Although you'd say you look at his errors and you think, yeah, take him out of the team, you look at what he's contributed in attack and you think, well, it'd be quite a lot to lose from that attack if he were to go. Kazake is probably not doing that. So it is just one thing and another, really. Even if you think taking Guardiola out will help the defence, you then kind of weaken your attack at the same time.

I mean, Bernardo and others can step up and have to step up, but I would think it would kind of be a safety-first selection at Anfield, trying to get sort of as solid a team as possible. I think what you say about Ake there, he is very good at one-on-ones against good wingers, against Saka, against Salah, against... If you want to stop a right winger from dictating the game, Ake is probably the one you want.

But with every single of these decisions, it has an effect on two or three other positions. And like you say, Guardiola, I personally would take him out. But when you name that start of eight chances created, and Pep probably wasn't exaggerating too much by saying he was one of the best players on the pitch against Feyenoord.

because he is a good player in attack and any sort of criticism of him is he's just played too much football and he's out of form and out of confidence. It's not that he's a bad player or I think Pep did sum it up quite well in saying he just needs an arm around the shoulder and people around him because he's just going through a bad moment as a lot of players are but I think this is the sort of selection that if Guardiola gets it right it's why he is as good as he is because he has so much to think about and

And he'll know Liverpool's game better than any of us do. And just working out how to stop them, but also get something from the game at the same time is probably one of the more difficult team selections he's had in a long, long time. Pep did say after the Spurs game that, yes, if Liverpool beat them and go 11 points clear, that's it for the title race. Changed his tune a little bit today and said, well, you know, let's see, there's a lot more games to play.

we spoke about this the other day, the lose, they probably are out of the title race, but it's interesting to hear Pep change his tune a bit. And he's spoken recently about the emotion that he has directly after the game. And he's got a bit of a clearer head in a pre-match press conference, which do you think it is? What message is he? He's not going to go in the dressing room and say, listen, lads, we're out of the title race if we lose. Yeah. But it's, it's a tough, tough one to, to navigate, isn't it? Because it's,

There's so much at stake with that 11-point gap. Yeah, I mean, I'd say he's consistent in the sense that he enjoys rebutting questions. So, yeah, but also I think he's kind of taken himself out of title race mode. I think he was still in it after Spurs and still fighting and still saying sort of like, you know, we go as a team. And I think today...

before the Liverpool game, it just kind of felt like he is saying that they're in no position to think about title races or anything like that. And they will say that they don't normally, but they will sort of do that as a team that expects to win every week and expects to move themselves closer to...

sort of getting in a position to win titles. Whereas I think at the minute, he kind of doesn't know where City's next win is coming from, which is understandable, but a concerning situation. And I think, you know, the problems are so deep that they have to kind of work out how to sort of get through that before they can think about anything else. So, yeah, he has said today that...

then they may still be in the title race um with 11 points and they might be but you arguably they're not in it now because of how things look so um i i don't think there'll be many people after sunday if they lose who who think they're in a title race and it will probably be four or five months

It will take four or five months of much better results before people think that they are again. Unless a spectacular Liverpool collapse, but I'm not sure anyone sees that either. Even with all the facts in front of us, I still expect City to turn it around because that's what they do. They always do go on that run and get that and continue and have that within them. And as Guardiola says, when you have all those players...

available City are a very different side so I think Rodri is a massive miss and it always comes back to Rodri but I don't know it maybe I'm just so used to City winning everything that I need to change my mindset to actually maybe maybe they're not going to it's like they're just finding it it's like it's a challenge that they're just trying to make it as difficult as possible and then they can say look this is the best one yet we've we've won five in a row so it's uh

I agree with everything you say, but my head is still telling me, now don't be silly, City are still going to win the title. Another thing Pep said, which sort of ties into that, was about asking his bosses for the opportunity to rebuild the side. Even though he signed a contract two weeks ago, he was speaking of someone who

could leave if results don't go his way. He's always said if you lose loads of games, then you're not in a job. And he's sort of on one of those runs where any other manager would be under threat. Obviously, he's not under threat and is going to stay at City for two more years. He's earned that right. But it was interesting so soon after signing a new contract for him to be talking like he's going to leave next week. Yeah, again, it just felt like...

I felt like it was discussing the death of the season or something like that, except the season's got six months still to go. It was very sort of strange to hear him talk in the way he did. It's kind of... It's our job, but it's very difficult to put into words just quite how he spoke and sounded. And, yeah, I can...

He's fried my brain, that's for sure. It is difficult. And again, it's kind of like back to first season where he's having to defend his CV and say, oh, I've won titles, you know. Like, obviously City aren't going to get rid of him. But he has always said if he feels his message isn't getting through or...

anything like that he will walk away but what he also said today is that you know he's asked for the chance to be part of the rebuild which again he's been asked several direct questions at press conferences about rebuilds and has knocked them all back um but will bring it up himself and

You know, there's a chance now that if the players aren't responding to his instructions, then he will say, right, well, you're not part of my rebuild. I'll bring someone else in. So he is kind of more secure than ever at City, even though, like you say, it sounds like he's saying, oh, I'll leave if things aren't going well. I'll leave if it's not to, you know, if anything doesn't turn around. But it does have the sense of kind of,

yeah discussing sort of the end of something before something's actually ended I just find it fascinating that we spent so long all season saying are you going to stay what would motivate you to stay is it the players what do you see in the players that will help you and

That was the question he asked of himself and the players was, do they have the motivation to go for another title? And then he says when he signs his contract, it's because they're in a bad place, which is part of the reason why he wanted to sign it now. And then literally a week or two after, he's talking about rebounds and leaving and not necessarily staying because of results and

it's his sort of drama and his way of processing things, but he wouldn't have said this at all had he not signed the contract because he knows the reaction it would have got. So I think it's interesting that he's saying it now.

His words were, I want the opportunity. I want the opportunity to try. I don't want to run. I want to be there and rebuild the team in many aspects from now on until the end of the season and next season. I want to continue up there. I asked for that challenge. I asked for the opportunity to do it because I feel it. I know what we want to do. I know what we need and what we have to do in that moment. We don't have the consistency. Obviously, we don't have it right now. That's quite defiant on its own. And it was in the middle of a rambling answer, but that reads like a manager who knows

under pressure even though he's clearly not he's under pressure on results but as you say he's just signed a contract he's in the most secure place any manager can be yeah and like also when he did sign his contract and when he did ask for these things that it was after kind of the Brighton game so kind of the worst two results of this six game run hadn't even come you know he does place enormous amounts pressure on himself

to make things work. So there will be a bit of that. But he also does like to make everything big because sort of if you make things big, then it's even bigger when if there is a change. So, yeah, it is strange, but probably befitting the man.

you know, I remember when he just signed his first contract extension in 2018 and there were people who sort of didn't cover him every week who were like shocked and horrified at him saying, well, I might be gone next season if results aren't there or if this happens. And why would you not talk up the fact that you're staying for like three extra years? Why would you not do that? And it was like, it's just the character that he is. So yeah,

Yeah, he was very contemplative today and reflective and everything, but he did have that fight still to say, I'm still here, I'm still fighting. Someone should write a book on this. It's all very fascinating stuff. It does feel like he's been saying that line, hasn't he? If I lose a load of games in a row, then I'll be gone. And I'm only here and in this privileged position because we keep winning. And now suddenly they're not winning and they are losing games and everything.

uh he knows as well as everyone he's got that opportunity to rebuild and city fans will back him 100 and his bosses will uh it's just interesting that now is what he's the time he's chosen i got the impression you you were there you might feel differently but that it he might not have planned to say that sort of thing today it just came out and it was a stream of consciousness rather than i'm going to say this and this is going to for example distract from our bad runner form this is going to get the headlines because

he can do that and he does do that. I don't know. I got the impression it just came out as a thought in his head that he couldn't stop rather than a plan to say it. Yeah. And again, I think it fits into the mess that City are in that like, if they were, if,

Guardiola didn't have to spend every waking moment thinking about the team and how he fixes all the holes in the team. He would perhaps have time to think about what do I want to say to the media today? What don't I want to say? Where are my lines? Where are my sort of areas which I'm not going to go into? Whereas he kind of turned up today early for the first time in a good while and

Yeah, wasn't very prepared. I mean, I asked him about Rafa Nadal and the smile on his face when he heard a question that meant he didn't have to talk about his team was sort of the biggest he'd given all day because it was like, oh, right, I can just prattle on about Nadal for two minutes and how great he is. But it was like he just wasn't in full control of the press conference as he can be.

Yeah, I would agree. This is what I mean. When I say it's interesting, it's not interesting that our city are losing. It brings out a different side that we've not seen in the manager and the players. Everything we think about the city side is different and challenges everything we think. Are we expecting anything other than a defeat at Anfield? Can you offer any hope in terms of a prediction? No, no. I think Liverpool will win

I think it could get ugly if Liverpool play very well. There's a hope of a City win, but you're probably talking 10% if that. I think probably...

I would think 3-1, 4-1 Liverpool if I was putting a score on it. But that might be horribly underestimating City, I don't know. Yeah, I can't see... I wouldn't be confident enough to say, oh, City are going to get a point or a thing. I think if they're going to get a point, it's a 0-0 or a 1-1.

it's not going to be sort of an end-to-end game because if City open the game up then they're going to concede more chances than they're allowed to create I think maybe 2-1 Liverpool I don't think it'll be a walkover I don't think Pep will let that happen whether his players do is another thing altogether but I do think it'll be a narrow defeat in terms of a scoreline but I think they will be outplayed for the majority just on form and confidence so

I would like to see just for the title race and sort of something different and continuing to see if... I don't think it's any good when a team runs away with it, even when City do it. I would like to see a

Liverpool reigned in as much as possible until the end of the season, so I'm going to go with a closer game, but I can't see a 3-0 City win or even turning around that long run without a

many wins at Anfield. You'll be there, Si. We'll have you every step of the way on the MEN throughout the day, on Sunday, blogging the game, all the analysis behind the scenes, everything that Pep says, his players and the Liverpool players as well. And then next week we'll be back to dissect City's famous win at Anfield because they are going to win.

3-4-0 of course and yeah we'll then look ahead to the next game against Nottingham Forest after that so yeah give us a follow on social media if you can a like and a subscribe where you find our podcast leave a comment and yeah we'll be back next week thank you for joining us