TOO MANY CHANGES BACKFIRED FOR GUARDIOLA

City need to remind Gunners of their threat

- By SIMON BAJKOWSKI

TUESDAY'S defeat to Leverkusen raised a number of red flags for Manchester City.

There's the fact that it raises their chances of a playoff, meaning two extra games and added uncertainty over whether they will make the knockout phase.

It is also the first time they have lost consecutive matches since August.

It looked like Pep Guardiola and his players had got their house in order after that, with a thumping 3-0 win over Liverpool before the November international break crowning a stellar two months that had raised expectations that this side could challenge on all fronts.

Suddenly, that win over the Premier League champions feels a long way away.

So is the end of this campaign, which is why it is too early to make any definitive judgments.