Stirred, not shaken: A City slump far from irreversible

Twice in last two seasons, they have produced stunning comebacks to win the Premier League

- Dhiman Sarkar

After India stunningly snapped their record 16-Test winning streak in 2001, Australia, sore losers at the best of times, had players and staff at Eden Gardens saying it had to happen someday. A little over 23 years later, Pep Guardiola echoed such thoughts after Manchester City lost their fourth successive match.

The domination of the Premier League, six titles in seven seasons including four in a row, for the defending champions will end at one point, Guardiola said after the 1-2 defeat at Brighton on Saturday. "In the next 55 years, City is not going to win the Premier League every year."

His contract ending in 2025, Guardiola then said he was going to try and ensure that City win it one more time. It is a challenge he relishes, Guardiola had said after Sporting CP's shock win midweek in the Champions League. At Brighton, he repeated that. "When we get the players back, I don't have any doubts that we will be back," he said.

City haven't lost four in a row since 2006, Guardiola had only once in a coaching career of nearly 20 years but since one of the defeats came after penalties, technically it does not count. So, this does need some adjusting to. "You are getting sacked in the morning," Brighton supporters sang.