Man City’s crisis deepens after another defeat and Arsenal closes in on Liverpool

Manchester City’s impressive slump deepened after their 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa in the Premier League on Saturday.

Goals from Jhon Duran and Morgan Rogers at Villa Park handed the four-time defending champions their ninth defeat in 12 games in what is shaping up to be a messy season. Pep Guardiola’s team has only won once in this series.

“We have no defense for the results. They are not good,” Guardiola said.

Third-placed Arsenal FC reduced the gap to league leaders Liverpool to three points with a 5-1 win at Crystal Palace, but have already played two games more.

City have fallen to sixth in the standings, nine points behind Liverpool, having played two games more.

Manchester City’s head coach Pep Guardiola reacts during the English Premier League soccer match between Aston Villa and Manchester City at Villa Park in Birmingham, England, on Saturday, December 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Rui Vieira)

Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS/Rui Vieira

“It’s about what I can do with my people to get the results back and keep going,” Guardiola said. “If there’s one moment I can’t think about, it’s this. Try to be simple, stay true to my principles and give the team security.”

Title hopes are fading

After winning six titles in seven years and an unprecedented four titles in a row, City’s remarkable decline shows little sign of stopping. Guardiola admitted last week that he was not good enough to change his team’s shape.

In all competitions, City have not been winless in any of their last eight away games. Although winning a fifth title in a row is unlikely, a place in the top four and qualification for the Champions League could also be in jeopardy after fourth-placed Nottingham Forest won 2-0 at Brentford, four points clear of City lies.

Only once under Guardiola did City manage to win the title, while losing six times in the league. That was in 2021, when it lost two of its last three games after already being confirmed as champions.

City lost nine times when Liverpool won the title in 2020, but their sixth defeat came in February. Guardiola also lost six times in his first season in English football in 2016/17 and City finished third.

The latest defeat could have been even more pronounced by a dominant Villa, who moved up to fifth place.

Duran scored his sixth goal in as many starts in the 16th minute after Rogers’ assist. Duran had a goal disallowed for offside in the second half and Rogers hit the post before doubling Villa’s lead in the 65th minute.

Phil Foden scored another goal for City in stoppage time, but it wasn’t enough for a late comeback.

“We have to stay positive, even when things are difficult, and we have to keep working hard,” said City striker Erling Haaland.

Jesus stripes

It’s five goals in a week for Gabriel Jesus against Crystal Palace.

After scoring a hat-trick in Arsenal’s 3-2 comeback win over Palace in the English League Cup quarter-finals on Wednesday, the Brazilian striker scored two more goals when the two teams met again on Saturday.

Before Wednesday’s game, Jesus had only scored once for Arsenal since the end of January.

Jesus struck twice in a frantic start at Selhurst Park. He scored the first goal in the sixth round, and Ismaila Sarr equalized five minutes later.

Jesus restored Arsenal’s lead in the 14th period and failed to make it two successive hat-tricks when he hit the post and was then parried again from close range by Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson.

Kai Havertz, Gabriel Martinelli and Declan Rice also scored for Arsenal.

The forest flies up

If City’s downfall is a surprise story of the season, so is Forest’s rise.

After battling relegation for much of last season, Forest are fighting for Champions League qualification and possibly even more.

Against a Brentford team unbeaten at home, goals from Ola Aina and Anthony Elanga secured Nuno Espirito Santo’s side another crucial away win, having already won at Anfield and Old Trafford this year.

Isak tripled

Alexander Isak scored a hat-trick in Newcastle’s 4-0 win at Ipswich.

The Sweden international, who has scored ten goals in his last 11 games, scored his treble in 54 minutes at Portman Road, including one in the first minute. Jacob Murphy also scored.

Brighton led West Ham 1-0 through Mats Wieffer, but Mohammed Kudus equalized to draw.

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