Can Pep Guardiola end Man City's winless run at West Brom?
With concerns over Vincent Kompany and Barcelona, City boss could do with a win on Saturday
Premier League leaders Manchester City will travel to West Brom tomorrow looking for their first win in more than a month.
Since beating Swansea on 24 September, Pep Guardiola's side have failed to win any of their past six games, drawing three and losing three. That represents the worst run of Guardiola's managerial career and City's worst set of results since 2008.
With Barcelona visiting the Etihad next week, Guardiola will be desperate for a long overdue victory at the Hawthorns on Saturday, which would also be likely to maintain their position as league leaders.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The Spanish coach has remained calm despite his team's poor run and has insisted it will make his side "stronger in the future". He has also vowed to stick to his principles and continue to play the passing football for which he is renowned.
"Behind Pep Guardiola's polite smile, there seems a growing irritation with being asked if he's prepared to change his style of play to get Manchester City winning again," says Guy Mowbray of the BBC. "Not a chance. There's a quest for a kind of footballing perfection at play here, and at times they've been close to it already this season."
The biggest question marks ahead of the trip concern defender Vincent Kompany. City's injury-prone skipper came off at half time against Man United in the EFL Cup on Wednesday night prompting discussion of his future at City.
"Guardiola has stated publicly that, to form part of his longer-term plans, Kompany must get and stay fit, but the defender faces a separate challenge to prove he can adapt sufficiently to the Catalan's insistence on playing out from the back amid concerns about his qualities on the ball," says the Daily Telegraph.
However, Guardiola dismissed such talk on Friday and said that Kompany was capable of playing in his team. "We want to take care of all the players," he said. "We need to handle the situation until he can play 90 minutes."
Other City players struggling for fitness include Kevin De Bruyne, Bacary Sagna and Pablo Zabaleta, while Sergio Aguero was left out of the games against Barcelona and Man United, prompting speculation that he had fallen out of favour.
Given City's recent travails, the game at West Brom is "massive", says Paul Merson of Sky Sports. But he thinks City will "squeak a result" before the visit of Barcelona. Mark Lawrenson of the BBC also believes City will prevail at the Hawthorns.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Climate change is threatening Florida's Key deer
The Explainer Questions remain as to how much effort should be put into saving the animals
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
TV to watch in November, from 'Dune: Prophecy' and 'A Man on the Inside'
The Week Recommends A new comedy from 'The Good Place' creator, a prequel to 'Dune' and the conclusion of one of America's most popular shows
By Anya Jaremko-Greenwold, The Week US Published
-
Daniel Lurie: San Francisco's moderate next mayor
In the Spotlight Lurie beat a fellow Democrat, incumbent Mayor London Breed, for the job
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
The wit and wisdom of Sven-Göran Eriksson
In Depth The first foreign coach to manage England on football, life and death
By The Week Staff Published
-
The Premier League's spending cap: levelling the playing field?
Talking Point Top clubs oppose plans to link spending to income of lowest-earning club, but rule could prevent success gap from widening
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
2023-2024 Premier League predictions: champions, relegation and golden boot
feature A look at the top flight talking points and pundit picks for the new season
By Mike Starling Published
-
‘Genuine visionary’: is Pep Guardiola the greatest of all time?
feature Spaniard has now won two trebles following Man City’s Champions League triumph
By The Week Staff Published
-
Champions League final: Man City vs. Inter predictions and preview
feature Can Guardiola’s team finally win the Champions League and complete a historic treble?
By Mike Starling Last updated
-
Man City: can ‘one of the best sides in history’ win the treble?
feature Guardiola’s Premier League champions have two more trophies in their sights
By The Week Staff Published
-
Premier League: Man City vs. Arsenal predictions
feature What the pundits say about tonight’s title race showdown at the Etihad
By Mike Starling Last updated
-
Man City’s financial charges: what next for the Premier League champions?
feature The club is alleged to have breached financial rules around 100 times over a nine-year period
By Mike Starling Published