Manchester City has been struggling since losing key midfielder Rodri to an ACL injury, and manager Pep Guardiola is facing one of the toughest stretches of his career. Despite a few recent wins, including a 2-0 victory against Leicester City and a 4-1 triumph over West Ham United, the team’s performance this season has been disappointing. Midfielder Bernardo Silva recently admitted that City is no longer in the running for the Premier League title, given their current form and position in the league.
City is sitting sixth in the Premier League, with 34 points from 20 matches, and is a significant 12 points behind the leaders, Liverpool. Silva openly stated that City’s title aspirations are now a thing of the past, saying, “Right now, I would say not impossible because in soccer there are no impossibilities, but Man City is completely out of the title race, there’s no question about that. It’s too late for us.” Silva added that City’s focus has shifted to short-term goals like climbing the table and aiming for a higher league position, with hopes of reaching at least third place.
Silva’s comments reflect the team’s current reality: “People always say that you don’t win a league until January, but you can lose it, and this season the reality is that we’ve lost it.” Guardiola echoed this sentiment after the win against Leicester, noting that the team’s struggles have been hard to accept. He admitted that City is no longer in the title race, but added that there are still other objectives to fight for, such as securing a top-four finish and competing in the FA Cup.
Guardiola also addressed the ongoing absence of Rodri, acknowledging the team’s need for reinforcements in the January transfer window to strengthen areas of weakness. While City has not yet made any signings, Guardiola remains open to potential solutions as they look to salvage their season.
