Manchester City find themselves in uncharted territory under Pep Guardiola after a 1-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest left their Champions League qualification hopes in serious jeopardy. The loss marked City’s ninth league defeat of the campaign—matching their worst tally in a single season since the Spaniard took charge.
For the first time in Guardiola’s tenure, City’s place among Europe’s elite is at risk. The reigning Premier League champions, who celebrated their fourth consecutive title last May, are now clinging to fifth place with just five points separating them from Aston Villa in 10th. With only 10 matches remaining, the race for a top-four finish is tighter than ever.
Guardiola has urged his team to treat each remaining fixture as a final, starting with next Saturday’s crucial clash against Brighton, who sit just one point behind them. “We have 10 games to qualify,” Guardiola said. “We have to win games to qualify and we move on to the next one. Every season the Premier League gets better and better. We have 10 finals to come.”
Despite a £180m investment in the January transfer window—bringing in players like Nico Gonzalez and Omar Marmoush—City’s form has remained inconsistent. Since the window closed, they have won just four of nine matches, suffering five defeats along the way.
Former Manchester United captain Rio Ferdinand believes the new signings are struggling due to the team’s instability. “I don’t think they brought in bad players, but they have just come in in less stable times,” he told TNT Sports. “You can’t bet against Man City, they have the players and the manager.”
With their Champions League future hanging in the balance, City must find consistency in the final stretch of the season or risk missing out on European football’s biggest stage for the first time under Guardiola.
