City pointing towards being back in race

THINGS looked bleak for Manchester City at the end of August but Pep Guardiola could at least take solace in the fact that his team's results had not got even worse.

- By SIMON BAJKOWSKI

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola

(JEAN CATUFFE/ GETTY IMAGES)

Defeats at home to Tottenham and away to Brighton sucked the optimism out of their start, yet were exactly the same reverses that they suffered last season.

That was hardly comforting given City want to do much better and have spent £350m this year to do so. Given they secured a top-three finish last year though with a points tally of 71, there is plenty of room for improvement.

Guardiola's side started on that road in September, beating United at home to avenge that miserable home defeat to Ruben Amorim's side last December.

They followed that up by getting a point at Arsenal - that could have been all three - and then held on at Brentford to grind out a 1-0 win where last year they surrendered a two-goal lead.