Guardiola faces biggest test

Manchester City's fourth successive defeat, this time at Brighton on Saturday evening, only increases scrutiny on manager Pep Guardiola.

It is now City's worst sequence of results since between April and August 2006, when they were under the management of Stuart Pearce.

Guardiola was in reflective mood after Brighton came from behind to win 2-1, saying: "Maybe after seven years winning six Premier Leagues, maybe one year another team deserve it."

If anyone believes this is the start of Guardiola raising the white flag, one look at his frantic body language - swinging between despair, frustration and very occasional praise for his players - says otherwise.

There is little doubt, however, that Guardiola has huge problems to solve as Liverpool, smooth and increasingly unruffled and efficient under new Head Coach Arne Slot, stand five points clear at the top of the table.

Guardiola's own future is also a point of discussion, with his contract expiring at the end of this season and, publicly at least, no indication of whether he will stay.

He insists he "loves" the task of turning around City's unexpected dip in fortunes and, on the evidence on show at The Amex Stadium, he has plenty on his "to do" list.

What he cannot do anything about is midfielder Rodri's knee injury, that will keep their most pivotal player out for the season. Mateo Kovacic is a fine operator but City simply do not have the inpenetrable shield Rodri so often provides.

Kevin de Bruyne, Ruben Dias, Jack Grealish, Jeremy Doku, Nathan Ake and Manuel Akanji have also been absent, putting even City's vast squad under strain.

What no-one can do either, though, is write off an all-time great manager leading a great team.

City have been past masters at hunting down Premier League leaders and overhauling them, but they are in serious danger of leaving themselves with an awful lot to do, even at this early stage of the season.