Gary Neville has suggested Manchester City are showing signs of complacency, following the club’s 3-3 draw with Tottenham Hotspur.
Pep Guardiola watched his side drop more points in the Premier League on Sunday.
Spurs have been a thorn in Pep’s side since he came to the club and yesterday was no different at the Etihad Stadium, with Spurs refusing to lie down.
The visitors played on the counter and City were punished for not being clinical.
The hosts could have been out of sight by half-time, but opportunities were spurned and Spurs therefore always had a chance to come back in the game.
The enforced substitution of Jeremy Doku hurt City, but this was still a great chance to get back to winning ways that was passed up.
It’s now three draws in a row in the league, which doesn’t happen too often – and Gary Neville believes complacency has crept in…
Gary Neville suggests Manchester City have become complacent
Neville commentated yesterday’s game for Sky Sports and then appeared on the Gary Neville podcast straight after the game to provide some analysis.
He theorised that City are in a bit of a natural lull right now, having sealed the Treble last season.
Suggesting possible blues, Neville said: “That happens when you’ve got success in your life. What we’re witnessing at the moment from City is complacency and just that little edge missing, and it’s natural. It’s not a criticism, it’s natural what we’re seeing. It’s human nature.”
Other results this weekend have meant City are now three points off top spot.
Arsenal beat Wolves 2-1, with Liverpool running out 4-3 winners against Fulham.
Neville has a point
Neville is probably not wrong with his assessment of the situation – City experienced an incredible high earlier this year and he called it ‘utopia’ at one point.
It doesn’t really get much better than winning a Treble and so, a drop-off was perhaps to be expected. It might even be subconscious.
But City are still up there, and many fans probably would have taken this position considering City are historically slow starters in Premier League seasons.
City have also been missing Kevin De Bruyne since the start of the campaign, which was bound to hurt Pep’s side.
Chances are still being created without the Belgian, but the actual quality of those chances is not as good.
Hopefully, come around the end of January and start of February, City will hit top gear again.
