Pep Guardiola’s Man City future: O’Rourke shares verdict after back-to-back defeats
Manchester City’s poor start to the season has left Pep Guardiola once again under the microscope at the Etihad Stadium, sources have told Football Insider.
Speaking on the latest edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, senior correspondent Pete O’Rourke revealed what his sources have said about the “pressure” already being applied on Guardiola.
Man City sit 13th in the Premier League table having lost two of their first three matches, suffering back-to-back defeats against Tottenham and Brighton after a 4-0 win over Wolves on the opening weekend.
Former Man United scout Mick Brown told Football Insider on 4 September that questions are already being asked at Man City following their slow start, which has come off the back of a “massive” overhaul.
Guardiola has already admitted that any other manager would have been sacked after Man City‘s fall-off in form last season, but Football Insider sources have said that he still has plenty of credit in the bank.
Sources have told Football Insider that with seven new first-team signings, eight permanent departures and a plethora of loan exits this summer, Guardiola simply needs time to gel his rebuilt team together.
Man City give ‘brand new squad’ time to gel under Guardiola
Manuel Akanji has admitted that Guardiola told him he’d have limited playing time before he completed a loan move to Inter Milan on deadline day, as the Man City manager loses yet another experienced figure.
Speaking on the new Inside Track podcast, O’Rourke stated that Guardiola is well aware of the scrutiny already being applied after City’s poor start, but argued that he’ll be given time to turn things around.
“Guardiola has admitted himself that the pressure is on him”, he told Football Insider.
“He said last season after their bad run of form that any other manager – if he didn’t have the faith of the owner and the sporting director – probably would have been sacked.
“It’s a new squad he’s working with, so it’s going to take time for this new team to gel and get used to each other.”
Man United test to decide fates of Guardiola and Ruben Amorim
Man City may have lost to a last-minute Brajan Gruda strike at the Amex Stadium before the international break, but they had already been worryingly picked apart on their own patch by Spurs eight days prior.
The Manchester Derby is up next for Guardiola against the similarly under-pressure Ruben Amorim in the other dugout, and a home defeat to their arch-rivals could see Guardiola come under further scrutiny.
Man United‘s own start to the season has hardly been convincing, and Guardiola will see this season’s first derby as a perfect opportunity to re-affirm his status as the Premier League’s premier coach.