It’s easy to forget that James Maddison put Tottenham Hotspur ahead of the Premier League winners after Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City had a commanding lead.
Guglielmo Vicario could have been defeated twice in the first ten minutes by Erling Haaland, and perhaps he should have.
Additionally, the punditry gantry reacted with genuine disbelief when James Maddison scored from a precise Dejan Kuluvsevski cross to put Tottenham Hotspur on their way to an incredible four-goal triumph at the Etihad Stadium.
“Where had this come from?” wondered Rob Hawthorne, a commentator for Sky Sports.
Man City has recovered from losses like this one on numerous times during Pep Guardiola’s tenure, culminating in a resounding victory. Not anymore, though. Maddison never doubled his total, concluding a performance that was evocative of the guy he was when Leicester defeated the champions 5-2 in a lockout back in 2020.
When deciding who should win Man of the Match, Gary Neville was unable to choose between Maddison and Kulusevski. The “outstanding” Madison ultimately earned the title by hitting a brace, at least initially.
In an effort to make sense of a now career-worst run of five straight losses, Guardiola also singled out the Englishman and the Swede as Spurs players.
Pep Guardiola hails Tottenham heroes James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski
At full time, Guardiola told reporters, his eyes burning beneath a smouldering smile, “Well, 0-4, nothing much to say right.” Tottenham, congratulations.
“At this point, we are quite vulnerable. Despite our strong start, we were unable to score. And they score when they first get to [our box].
“Obviously, Maddison and Kulusevski were of high calibre.”
This is Man City’s worst run since the distant days of 2006, yet a lot of the post-game talk will focus on the most trying time of Guardiola’s incredibly successful managerial career.
when those in sky blue had never heard of European football, much less Champions League success.
Guardiola demands Manchester City fightback after Spurs shellacking
“We do not anticipate that opponents will not generate opportunities and score goals. We were unable to manage the duels as usual, however, as soon as they created the opportunity. We’re having a little trouble right now,” Guardiola stated, introducing his contender for the Understatement of the Century award.
“That isn’t possible. We may give up chances when playing against elite teams, but it’s a necessary aspect of the game. It’s a little more difficult in our case.
“I must observe the circumstances. After the international break, the players returned late. The balance is not in the correct place right now. However, it did occur. We must [sort things out], have a conversation, and try [to recover] against Feyenoord on Tuesday.
In his co-commentary position for Sky Sports, Neville attributed a lot of the fault on a disorganised midfield that lacked Rodri’s presence and defensive understanding.
If Rodri were to return from a long-term injury significantly earlier than expected, most Man City supporters would be happy to tear down his Ballon D’Or and sell it on the black market because he was flaunting it for everyone to see before kickoff.
However, Guardiola notes that Kevin de Bruyne, Jack Grealish, and John Stones have all struggled with their own fitness. Consequently, City lost four of its best players.
Guardiola contends, “We knew Rodri was important for many months, of course.” “But Stones can only play 45 minutes. Jack has sustained numerous injuries. Two months and five months have passed since Kevin’s last visit.
“We must return and refocus our thoughts. It’s a lengthy season. Numerous things are possible.
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