Can Guardiola turn around Man City amid the worst losing run of his coaching career?

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Pep Guardiola is widely expected to sign a new contract at Manchester City, giving him a chance to extend his unprecedented dominance of the English Premier League.

His first priority, however, is to arrest the worst losing streak of his managerial career.

Four straight losses in all competitions see four-time defending champion City trail leader Liverpool by five points in England's top flight.

City is out of the English League Cup and has been humbled in the Champions League by a 4-1 loss to Sporting Lisbon in one of Ruben Amorim's final acts before taking over Manchester United.

Guardiola's rule appears to be under threat.

But we've been here before.

City's success under Guardiola — winning six of the last seven leagues and becoming the first English team to claim four in a row — has been characterized by its ability to go on remarkable winning runs that have eventually killed the challenge of rivals.

Whether Guardiola's current team — with key players aging and or injured — has the ability to go again, is unclear. And anything other than victory against Tottenham on Saturday would raise more questions about City's title credentials.

Squad depth

Backed by the ruling family of Abu Dhabi, City has been able to spend billions of dollars signing the world's best players. But Guardiola's squad has been stretched by injuries to Ballon d'Or winner Rodri and Kevin De Bruyne.

In De Bruyne and Kyle Walker, 33 and 34 respectively, there are doubts about their ability to maintain the levels they have in the past. Walker, once so dominant at right back, has started only six games this season. City, meanwhile, has looked vulnerable in defense, keeping just five clean sheets in 18 games.

De Bruyne's injuries have been mounting. After being sidelined for much of last season, he's made only five starts this term.

Phil Foden has also struggled replicate the form that saw him named footballer of the year last season, with three goals in 14 games.

Winners' fatigue

Guardiola famously questioned his players' title credentials midway through the treble-winning year of 2022-23, describing City as a “happy flowers” team. It challenged them to raise their game in the face of a challenge from Arsenal, which led the standings for much of that campaign.

It worked, with City going on to win the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup.

With another league title secured last term, it is a constant challenge for dominant teams to find the hunger to reach new heights, even if Guardiola's passion is as evident as ever.

Rivals

New Liverpool coach Arne Slot has taken the fight to Guardiola right from the start.

Liverpool leads the way in the Premier League and the Champions League, with Slot winning 15 of his first 17 games since succeeding Jurgen Klopp in the offseason.

Arsenal under Guardiola's former assistant Mikel Arteta was runner-up to City in the last two years. Though it has faltered this season, it is just four points behind City in fourth.

Chelsea is third, ahead of Arsenal on goal difference, and under another of Guardiola's former assistants, Enzo Maresca. Chelsea looks like it could push towards the top of the standings.

Just four points separate third and 13th, and the early weeks of the campaign suggest a broad spread of quality across the league, perhaps accounting for points being dropped by the likes of City and Arsenal.

Track record

This is not the first time City has run into trouble in a campaign's early stages.

Losing to Aston Villa 1-0 last December marked a run of four games without a win in the league. It turned out to be the last time Guardiola's team lost in the league all season.

In February last year, City lost to Tottenham 1-0 and was five points adrift of leader Arsenal. It was unbeaten in its next 16 league games and also went on the win the treble.

A five-point gap to Liverpool in November looks far less daunting by comparison.

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James Robson is at https://twitter.com/jamesalanrobson

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

James Robson, The Associated Press