SPORTS
Pep Guardiola faces a testing week that could prove crucial in arresting Manchester City's slump and reviving the defence of their Premier League title.
Pep Guardiola faces a testing week that could prove crucial in arresting Manchester City's slump and reviving the defence of their Premier League title.
City ends 2018 with a testing visit to Southampton before opening 2019 with leaders Liverpool coming to the Etihad, a game in which defeat for City could leave them 10 or more points off first place.
Such an outcome could prompt Guardiola to have a change of heart and invest in new blood in the January transfer window to try and revive their title challenge.
City's sudden collapse, with three defeats in their last four Premier League games, has been blamed on the absence of injured holding midfielder Fernandinho and the lack of a suitable replacement.
The continued injury problems of French left-back Benjamin Mendy, and the recent loss of form of right-back Kyle Walker, have also presented Guardiola with a problem in the positions that are so key to his swashbuckling style of play.
Mendy's replacement Fabian Delph has turned in some sub-par displays and was sent off in City's most recent loss, at Leicester, earning him a three-match suspension.
All of which begs the question as to whether the self-styled world's wealthiest club will invest heavily in the transfer window.
The Champions League, not won by Guardiola since Barcelona triumphed in 2011, remains a burning priority for the manager and the club's Abu Dhabi owners, even though publicly they claim the Premier League title is their major target.
Guardiola has always insisted he will do no business in this window, waiting until the summer to strengthen a squad that, until the current run, looked deep enough to cope with any number of injuries or loss of form.
"When we created the squad at the beginning of the season, it was not to go to the January window except if we have problems," said Guardiola last month.
"But I have a deep squad and a lot of players cannot play when I trust them a lot. They believe I don't like them but that is not true."
PEP: We have to work harder and change immediately to bring our confidence back..
— Manchester City (@ManCity) December 27, 2018
Next up Southampton. #mancity pic.twitter.com/nF4Mz5kdxV
Dramatic loss of form
Now, City appears to have those "problems" to which Guardiola referred and there is a distinct possibility that City will move to stem the current "crisis" by signing either midfield cover or a new left-back in the coming month.
The former, certainly, is a major issue and one Guardiola tried to address in the summer with interest in Fred and, in particular, Jorginho before the duo chose to join Manchester United and Chelsea, respectively.
Tanguy Ndombele, the Lyon midfielder who impressed in his two meetings with City in the Champions League group stage this season, claimed this month Guardiola had tried to sign him in the summer.
The fact that UEFA have abolished the cup-tied rule for this season's competitions also means Ndombele could play for City in the knock-out stages of the Champions League.
With a summer move for the player looking inevitable, there is the distinct possibility the English club could try to move the transfer forward by six months.
Full-back remains a more complicated issue and, having spent over million (USD 159 million) in little over a week in the summer of 2017 in signing Mendy, Walker and Brazilian Danilo, it is an area that should not need strengthening.
For this week, Guardiola has to come up with a solution at left-back.
Converted midfielder Oleksandr Zinchenko is a possible replacement for the suspended Delph but the Ukrainian is another player to be suffering a dramatic loss of form at present.
Brazilian Danilo, very much a back-up last season, can play either full-back position if Guardiola is not tempted to recall Walker following a couple of torrid recent outings.
It leaves the possibility open of Guardiola playing centre-half John Stones at right-back or even playing with three central defenders as he looks to arrest his team's recent slide.
Deepinder Goyal reveals customers' reaction to wife Grecia Munoz delivering Zomato orders
Infosys founder Narayana Murthy flirts with Sudha Murty in viral video from Kapil Sharma show
Ajay Devgn's fans don't want Singham Again to become a blockbuster: 'Rohit Shetty jab tak hai...'
Types, Most Popular and Where to Buy Peptides for Bodybuilding
Luxury in the City of Light: SABO Boutique Hotel Brings Elegance to Varanasi’s Sacred Ghats
Virat Kohli, Babar Azam could play for same team as Afro-Asia Cup set for revival
Shaping the Future of Web Apps: Full Stack Developer’s Expertise in API Design and Cloud Deployment
The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Enhancing Software Performance and Security
Mastering Linux for Superior Sound
Amid divorce rumours of Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai, Aaradhya praises mother in viral video
AI in Data Warehousing: Future Trends and Innovations
Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Jio IPO worth Rs 840960 crore in 2025: All you need to know
After India's 0-3 loss against New Zealand, Shah Rukh Khan calls Gautam Gambhir...
BIG revelation on Imane Khelif, Olympic gold medallist boxer's medical repot leaked, it confirms…
Meet man who built Rs 152000 crore company, donated Rs 100 crore, now set to lead US firm as...
Visa Uncertainty: Impact of US polls on global talent
Virat Kohli turns 36: IPL franchises send heartwarming birthday wishes to legendary India cricketer
Meet Sanjay Verma, the new DGP of Maharashtra who replaced Rashmi Shukla
Anushka Sharma shares FIRST photo of Akaay, Vamika to celebrate Virat Kohli’s birthday
CAT 2024 admit card to be out today at iimcat.ac.in; know release time, steps to download
Vikas Divyakirti UPSC Tips: Check strategy to crack IAS exam, aspirants should study for...
Video of Pakistani man putting hand into chained tiger's mouth goes viral, social media reacts
Shalini Passi reveals her husband's connection to Shah Rukh Khan's wife Gauri Khan, they were..
SC upholds validity of UP madrassa law, says it does not violate principle of secularism
US Presidential Elections 2024: What time do the polls close; when will the results be known?
Elon Musk shares controversial post on X amid US election results, video goes viral
Mukesh Ambani's company earned Rs 15393 crore last week, his net worth now stands at...
Chhath Puja 2024: Know about Kharna, Sandhya Arghya, Usha Arghya, date, timings and puja vidhi
Virat Kohli Birthday: Legendary batter turns 36, here's a look at his incredible milestones
When Ratan Tata met his first true love after 50 years, went for dinner together, know who she was
Samantha Ruth Prabhu hits back at trolls who body-shamed her: 'If you guys...'
Two fall prey to Narayana Murthy and Mukesh Ambani's deepfake videos, lose Rs 80 lakh: Report
North Korea fires multiple ballistic missiles toward sea ahead of US election
Deepika Padukone romances Hrithik Roshan in Bikini, looks sizzling hot in UNSEEN viral video
Chhath Puja 2024: Top 50 wishes, What'sApp messages, quotes to share with your loved ones
Meet Caroline Emmons, Ratan Tata's 'first love' with whom he couldn't marry due to...
Who is Rohan Jaitley, frontrunner to replace Jay Shah as BCCI secretary?
World’s most expensive human tooth is valued over Rs 3000000, it belonged to…
Viral video: Little girl’s adorable dance to Lisa Haydon’s 'Manali Trance' impresses internet, watch
SC to deliver its verdict on pleas against Allahabad HC order scrapping UP madrasa law today
DNA TV Show: Why Election Commission changed Assembly by-elections' dates
Days after imposing fine on Anil Ambani, Sebi now issues Rs 130 crore demand notices to...
Thailand announces indefinite visa-free entry for Indian travellers
Meet daughter of billionaire, who studied in UK, now works in Rs 32770 crore Indian company as...
MUDA case: Lokayukta police summon Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah for questioning on...
This city is 4000 years old, belongs to bronze age where 500 people lived, it is located in...
Kamala Harris has been the President of US before? Here's when and how
What is elimination inflammation diet that helped Vidya Balan lose weight?
Shah Rukh Khan feels breathless after quitting smoking: Know withdrawal symptoms, how to manage them
Zomato CEO Deepinder Goyal takes action on vendor for mislabelling mushrooms at Hyperpure warehouse
Mukesh Ambani's Reliance shares fell by 3%, loses Rs 50205 crore in one day due to...