November 8, 2026
Manchester City entered the international break in a difficult period after suffering three consecutive defeats in the English Premier League, culminating in the loss yesterday, Saturday, to its host, Nottingham Forest, with a score of 1-3. These stumbles came after an ideal start during which the team achieved seven consecutive victories. These results raise serious and early questions about the project of Italian coach Enzo Maresca in his first season, after he took over the helm last June with a three-year contract, succeeding Spaniard Pep Guardiola, who left a great legacy that won 20 titles.
The three defeats were characterized by an identical scenario that highlighted a worrying defensive fragility. The team lost first to Aston Villa 1-2 last October 24, despite its absolute control and 63% possession of the ball against a goal that came from a purely defensive error. The scene was repeated when they lost at home to Brighton with a clean goal as a result of a mistake committed by Matthews Nunes, despite the team shooting 21 balls on goal. Against Nottingham Forest, the three goals were sponsored by direct errors from City players. Joshko Gvardiol started it by losing the ball to Jair Cunha in the sixth minute, so Liam Delap, the team’s former striker and graduate of his academy, dealt a painful blow by scoring two goals against his parent team.
These numbers do not reflect a deficiency in creating opportunities or control, as much as they reveal a clear gap in Maresca’s system, which is based on long possessions and advanced defense. The team is now paying the price for any weakness in building play or passing against competitors who relied on defensive formation and lightning counterattacks. The Italian coach admitted after the match with Forest that his team failed to match the intensity of the opponent and lost tackles during the first half, considering that the reaction came too late.
The tactical aspect was accompanied by physical and psychological crises, as Maresca was forced to replace Gvardiol and Marc Guihi between halftime due to injuries to both, in addition to goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma admitting that he had committed mistakes, and some analysts described the team’s performance as suffering from mental weakness. Despite this, Mariska called for prudence and balance in evaluating the stage, indicating that he naturally feels anxious even in cases of victory, and reminding that these three defeats were an extension of a series of seven victories.
The crisis cannot be considered comprehensive at the present time. The club achieved a remarkable victory in midweek over Leipzig in the Champions League, and still occupies second place in the league table with 21 points, even if it is six points behind leaders Arsenal. Adding to the sporting pressures is an external institutional concern, which is the anticipation of what will result from attempts to overturn the club’s conviction for more than 100 violations of the tournament’s financial rules.
The current international break provides a golden opportunity for Marisca to rearrange the cards and address repeated mistakes, before two decisive tests when competitions resume. Manchester City will host Fulham on November 21, before clashing with Arsenal on the 29th of the same month, a confrontation that will play a pivotal role in determining whether this setback is just a passing stumble or an indication of a deeper structural defect in the post-Guardiola era.
