Pep Guardiola has been warned that his Manchester City side have lost their “fear factor” after a difficult start to the new Premier League season.
The Cityzens began with a big win over Wolves but back-to-back losses to Tottenham and Brighton have raised concerns over the former champions.
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ALAN SHEARER SAYS MANCHESTER CITY NO LONGER INVINCIBLE
Premier League legend Alan Shearer believes that City’s rivals now have confidence when facing Guardiola’s team.
Last season, City finished 13 points behind Liverpool in third place after Rodri suffered a major ACL injury. His absence proved costly, as the side lost nine league games — the most under Guardiola.
Speaking to Betfair, Shearer explained:
“I wouldn’t say Pep has lost his touch, but I’d say his team have lost that rhythm of winning. There’s no doubt that last season has hurt and damaged them and they’re easier to get through than they were two seasons ago.”
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GUARDIOLA’S SQUAD REBUILD FACES EARLY STRUGGLES
City made changes in both the January and summer transfer windows to refresh the squad. Hopes were high after a 4-0 win over Wolves in their opening match.
But defeats against Tottenham and Brighton quickly exposed the ongoing issues.
Shearer continued:
“We saw what the injury to Rodri did to them last year and there’s no doubt their confidence took a hit. I also think that the fear factor may have gone because of what happened last year. Teams have realised that they’re not unbeatable, they can win if they attack Man City, you can score goals if you have the belief that you can take them on.”
DERBY DAY BECOMES EARLY MUST-WIN CLASH
Manchester City return to action this weekend in one of the biggest fixtures of the season. Guardiola’s men face rivals Manchester United at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.
For City, the Manchester Derby could already be a must-win to avoid further pressure after a shaky start to the campaign.
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