Pep Guardiola conceded Manchester Metropolis are in uncharted territory after a 4-0 thrashing by Tottenham inflicted a fifth consecutive defeat on the English champions and ended a 52-game unbeaten residence run. James Maddison struck twice in seven first-half minutes earlier than Pedro Porro rubbed salt within the wounds of his former membership and Brennan Johnson accomplished the rout. Metropolis’s first defeat on residence soil from open play for the reason that eve of the 2022 World Cup leaves them nonetheless 5 factors adrift of Premier League leaders Liverpool, who play their recreation in hand at bottom-of-the-table Southampton on Sunday.
Guardiola has dedicated himself to turning across the poorest run of his managerial profession after extending his contract till 2027 this week.
However hopes his new deal may revitalise a Metropolis facet, which have gained an unprecedented 4 consecutive Premier League titles, proved short-lived.
“In eight years we’ve by no means lived this sort of scenario,” mentioned Guardiola, who joined the membership in 2016.
“Now we’ve to stay it and break it successful the subsequent video games, particularly the subsequent one. Now we see issues in a technique, possibly in a number of weeks we see it in a different way.”
Rodri paraded his Ballon d’Or trophy to the house followers earlier than kick-off as his title was lit up throughout the Etihad pitch by firelight in an ostentatious present of help for the Spanish midfielder.
The 28-year-old just isn’t anticipated to play once more this season after struggling knee ligament harm in September and his absence has been on the coronary heart of Metropolis’s demise.
Guardiola’s males did begin strongly as Guglielmo Vicario denied Erling Haaland and the Norwegian had one other shot deflected broad.
However the momentum of the match fully swung on Tottenham’s first critical assault after 13 minutes.
Dejan Kulusevski’s teasing cross picked out Maddison who utilized a cool first-time end.
“On this second we’re fragile defensively,” added Guardiola.
“We began rather well as regular however we couldn’t rating after which after that we conceded. After that we conceded some extra which is troublesome for our feelings proper now.”
Spurs inconsistency
Maddison had been frozen out of Postecoglou’s beginning line-up in latest weeks and was eager to show some extent to his supervisor.
Son Heung-min’s creative go freed the England worldwide contained in the field and he dinked the ball over the advancing Ederson to double Spurs’ lead.
Inconsistency has been the scourge of Tottenham’s season thus far.
A 2-1 residence defeat to Ipswich earlier than the worldwide break noticed Postecoglou’s males slip to tenth within the desk.
However they’ve now twice gained comprehensively in Manchester after a 3-0 win over United at Outdated Trafford.
“It’s vital as a result of clearly they have an unbelievable report right here at residence,” mentioned Postecoglou.
“We have reached these requirements earlier than. It is about not dropping as we’ve in sure video games.”
Spurs quashed any concept of a comeback seven minutes into the second interval.
The wonderful Kulusevski crossed for Dominic Solanke and he patiently laid the ball again for Porro to blast residence from shut vary.
Haaland clipped the bar from an nearly unimaginable angle as Metropolis laboured to discover a response.
As an alternative, they have been hit with one closing sucker punch as Timo Werner eased previous Kyle Walker and crossed for Johnson to faucet residence on the far put up.
The one glimmer of hope for Metropolis would be the return of Kevin De Bruyne after a two-month damage absence as a late substitute.
Nonetheless, Guardiola has to seek out options quick if his facet’s title defence is to be maintained into the brand new 12 months.
A frightening journey to face Liverpool at Anfield is subsequent up within the Premier League, the place Metropolis haven’t gained in entrance of a crowd since 2003.
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