UNCHARTED TERRITORY FOR CITY

ST looks at how Pep's once-mighty team find themselves in an unfamiliar situation

- Deepanraj Ganesan

Six trophies in the past two years, yet now an invincible Manchester City are staring at a wretched run of eight losses from their last 11 matches.

In sport, fortunes can change quickly. But rarely as swiftly as City's, a club who for much of the last decade have dominated English football with six league titles in seven seasons.

Today, with nearly the same players and manager, they are unrecognisable. Suddenly the team led by captain Kyle Walker look weak and vulnerable, and their tactical guru Pep Guardiola hit by sleepless nights and a loss of appetite owing to their losses.

Just 25 games into the season, City have lost more matches than they did in each of their last two campaigns.

The Citizens sit fifth in the English Premier League, nine points behind leaders Liverpool – who have a game in hand – and are also in danger of an early exit from the Champions League.

It could get worse when they head to Villa Park to take on Aston Villa on Dec 21, a fixture which they lost last season.

This is uncharted territory for Guardiola, a perfectionist and serial winner with Barcelona, Bayern Munich and City – he has 39 trophies in total – who has never experienced anything like this.

City last went through a similar slump in 2006, when Stuart Pearce was in charge.

The Straits Times takes an in-depth look at why City's machine is breaking down this season.

DISTRACTIONS APLENTY

While a long-awaited hearing into 115 breaches of Premier League rules by City has concluded in early December, the club are still waiting to see if any action will be taken against them.

Guardiola in August dismissed claims the case would affect his players. But given that City face severe sanctions if found guilty, it is possible that it has been an unwelcome distraction.

But it is on the pitch where City have come unstuck.

Injuries are a big issue, especially on their defensive end.