Manchester City fans have called for Pep Guardiola to drop one underperforming star from the starting XI for the weekend’s trip to Liverpool.
Though their unprecedented run of five successive defeats in a row under Pep Guardiola has come to an end, it really doesn’t feel like it for Manchester City.
In fact, throwing away a three-goal lead to draw with Feyenoord in the Champions League is the most worrying result yet as City’s struggles continued on Tuesday.
It looked like normality had finally resumed as City scored three times within ten minutes of game time on either side of the break to go into cruise control.
Erling Haaland’s brace sandwiched an Ilkay Gundogan volley and it looked as though a return to winning ways was all but set in stone.
Yet, a calamitous mistake from Josko Gvardiol allowed Anis Hadj-Moussa to go through on goal and round Ederson, giving the spark of hope the visitors needed with 15 minutes to go.
Guardiola could clearly sense things were about to go very wrong on the side lines and they duly did as the Dutch visitors clawed it back to 3-3.
Gvardiol’s terrible mistake has not only proven costly in the match but has been incredibly damaging to the club’s morale ahead of a crucial trip to high-flying Liverpool on Sunday.
It’s not his first mistake in recent fixtures, either, and fans have now called for him to be dropped from the side.
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Fans want Josko Gvardiol out of the starting XI for Liverpool
City fans have not been shy about voicing their anger with the terrible results. There were loud boos at full-time at the Etihad and fans have even criticised Guardiola for his substitutions.
Gvardiol has come in for the toughest stick out of the players after his pivotal error gave away the goal that sparked a total collapse.
Not only that, but he failed to get his head on the cross that set up the second goal, too.
After mistakes leading to goals in previous games, some supporters have called for him to be dropped ahead of the daunting trip to Anfield.
“Gvardiol has to be dropped at the weekend,” one fan wrote on X. “He’s nowhere near where he needs to be.”
Another added:”Gvardiol needs to be dropped. Pathetic doesn’t even begin to describe his blunders in recent games.”
“Gvardiol should be dropped,” another supporter wrote. “Don’t care how many players we have, he’s directly at fault every game for a goal.”
The thoughts were echoed by other fans who wrote: “Gvardiol must be dropped again,” “If Dias is fit to start on Sunday then Gvardiol has to be dropped. Ake out to left back” and “Complete head loss after they scored. Gvardiol needs to be dropped (but can’t!) after another poor game.”
Nathan Ake needs to come in to the team
With John Stones now back on the shelf after going off injured against Tottenham, City are once again lacking options at the back. Which might just save Gvardiol.
But it’s clear the Croatian is struggling to concentrate fully over 90 minutes, with repeated individual mistakes costing the side time and again.
It’s a shame as he had played well up until that point, too, especially going forward. But, he was hardly tested for the first 75 minutes and as soon as he was he crumbled.
Gvardiol needs to make way and Nathan Ake should take his place.
The Dutch defender put in a dominant performance on his return to the starting XI and was taken off before the collapse, so there’s no blame at his feet. He has had great success against Mohamed Salah in the past, too.
However, the move would depend on if Ruben Dias – an unused substitute against Feyenoord – is fit enough to start.
It would be a risk to throw him straight in the deep end but if there’s a match you take a risk in it’s Liverpool.
