What a difference a week makes. Or in this case eight days.
Eight days ago, Pep Guardiola and his side were being hailed as the best side to every play in the Premier League.
‘I have been a manager in the Premier League for 20 years and I can’t work out how to stop them,’ said Everton’s Sam Allardyce only a week-and-half ago.
It was not that long ago that pundits were picking City to win an unprecedented quadruple this season, although defeat to League One outfit Wigan Athletic in the FA Cup ended that dream. They were supposed to go a season unbeaten too but Liverpool put a stop to that in January.
Still, City were left with the prospect of the treble which was set to be made even sweeter by beating rivals United to claim the league title. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity that, until recently, City fans couldn’t have even dreamt of ever happening.
But again, they blew it, with Guardiola opting to start the game without a striker and United winning 3-2, despite City going in 2-0 up at half-time.
Following a 5-1 defeat on aggregate against Liverpool in the Champions League, where City registered just three shots on target over the two legs, Guardiola now has the League Cup to show for his efforts, with the league title set to be awarded over the coming weeks.
After three defeats in a week things may get worse before they get better for City fans. The Premier League title is not secured yet and on Saturday night City play at Tottenham, a game that comes on the back of three immensely draining fixtures.
If City don’t win at Wembley, or if they do and West Brom fail to beat Manchester United the next day, the wait for the coronation will go on. While Liverpool prepare for the glamour of a Champions League semi-final in two weeks’ time, City may well clinch the title at home to Swansea on a weekend that will doubtless be dominated by two FA Cup semi-finals.
But for a season that promised so much last week, to win the title on the weekend when the eyes of the footballing world are focused on Wembley will seem like a missed opportunity for Manchester City fans.
