Manchester City suffered a setback in their title defence after a thrilling 3-3 draw against Tottenham Hotspur at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday – a result which blew the 2023/24 Premier League race wide open.
Deemed the favourites against a wounded Spurs, Man City would have fancied themselves to maintain the one-point gap and retain the second place behind Arsenal, who had beaten Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-1.
However, City’s hopes were curbed against a resolute Ange Postecoglou side, who came out of the Etihad Stadium with a vital draw.
City appeared to have pulled off an incredible comeback after Jack Grealish’s goal in the 81st minute, which made the score line 3-2, but only to see Dejan Kulusevski equalise for the visitors.
In a game full of endless twists and turns, poor officiating cost City the game. In the dying minutes, Erling Braut Haaland was fouled.
Referee Simon Hooper allowed the advantage as the Norwegian played Grealish through. However, Hooper abruptly stopped the play, causing more frustration among the City players.
City’s struggles against big teams proving costly
Following a minor blip with defeats against Wolves and Arsenal, City recovered quickly and returned to the top of the league table with three consecutive wins.
However, they have suffered three consecutive draws against Chelsea, Liverpool and Spurs. Another worrying statistic is they have conceded 11 goals in their last four games in all competitions.
Guardiola’s side have been dominant against the top clubs over the years, but their failure to produce results this season leaves a lot to be desired.
Liverpool & Arsenal’s unstoppable form spells danger to City
Arsenal had themselves to blame for making a hash of their dominance at the top of the league table last season, allowing Man City – who became an unstoppable force in the second half of the season – to grab the Premier League crown as well as the continental treble.
Mikel Arteta’s side are now redeeming themselves by embarking on another stellar run and look to be on a mission to get their hands on the long-evading holy grail.
The impressive victory over the Cityzens at the Emirates Stadium was also a statement to the reigning champions that the Gunners shouldn’t be taken for granted again this term.
Meanwhile, Liverpool are emerging as top contenders for the title after a stunning start to the season.
Many people wrote off the Reds following their struggles over the past couple of years, but the 2019/20 champions are showing they mean business this term.
The Merseysiders have racked up 31 points in 14 games, trailing the Gunners by two points and one head of City.
Aston Villa, Spurs and Newcastle United are also nipping at City’s heels, meaning it will not be plain sailing for them.
With Champions League endeavours interfering, City’s resilience will be tested more than ever this season, and they need to stay at the top of their game to prolong their dominance.
