Manchester City have experienced a challenging 2024/25 season to say the least.
After sealing a fourth straight Premier League title last May, and Treble the season before, Manchester City have come crashing back down to earth.
Pep Guardiola’s side are currently sitting in fifth place and are battling to seal a Champions League spot for next season.
Chelsea are a point ahead, and Nottingham Forest sit third five points ahead of City.
But there’s a big challenge going on at the moment, with teams like Aston Villa, Newcastle United and Fulham all looking to make late pushes for the Champions League.
The best possible finish for City this season will be sealing Champions League qualification and winning the FA Cup.
It has been a hard watch at times this term and for Gary Lineker, there are a couple of reasons for the team’s huge drop-off.
Gary Lineker says one ‘motivating factor’ has gone for Man City this season
Given the huge success City have had in recent years, perhaps this kind of season was inevitable.
Some players who have shone for so long at the Etihad Stadium have shown they are past their best, and undoubtedly, the club will be very busy this summer as they look to move people on.
For Gary Lineker, there are a couple of reasons behind City’s big slump in recent times.
The first is that not being in big games and hunting for titles has had an impact on the squad psychologically.
He said on The Rest Is Football podcast: “I wonder as well, whether psychologically the fact they’ve always been in big games, always challenging for the title. Some great run-ins to the season, then all of a sudden there’s not quite as much at stake.
“Subconsciously, whether the motivating factor has disappeared a little bit because of that.
“I think it is a case of that – the legs. For all the brilliance of Guardiola’s football and keeping the ball and possession and getting it and winning it back quickly, it does need real energy and you just can’t see that in the team at the moment. I’m sure he recognises it.”
Lineker then predicted City will ‘go big in the transfer market, this summer in a bid to get back on top.
Man City must breathe new life into their squad this summer
There are lots of reasons why City have struggled this season, and the lack of legs in the team has been a big one.
Without doubt the squad needs refreshing in the summer, and there’s little doubt City will be very active.
It was reported last week by Foot Mercato that as many as 10 players could leave the Etihad this summer. Ilkay Gundogan could leave having struggled, as well as other experienced players like Bernardo Silva and John Stones.
We already know Kevin De Bruyne will leave Manchester City, but several others will follow him out, and City simply have to land players with quality and exuberance.
With the return of Rodri next term and a few really good additions, City will hopefully be back fighting for titles again in 2025/26.
