Ex-Chelsea forward Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink says Manchester City could lose their crown to either Arsenal or Liverpool this season if they don’t improve on their recent performances.
Pep Guardiola’s side sit top of the table after 9 games, but Hasselbaink told Lucky Block that their comeback win over Fulham last month raised alarm bells:
“I think if Arsenal or Liverpool want to win the Premier League title, this is the year to do it I’’m looking at this Manchester City team and I don’t think they’re as good as some of the City teams we’ve seen in previous seasons.”
“I was actually quite shocked when they played Fulham at home [in early October], Fulham played a really, really good game and had the ball for long periods of time. If you remember when Man City was on top and destroying teams, when they lost the ball, they used to get it back really quickly and you couldn’t keep the ball against them. Their press used to be so good.”
Hasselbaink even suggested that City have regressed as a team since the arrival of Erling Haaland at the club:
“I don’t know if teams have become better, or they have become worse. I think it’s the latter, because they’ve got Haaland, and Haaland doesn’t press as much – even though they are top of the league and on this long unbeaten run, I don’t think they’re as good as they used to be.”
City are winning in a different way
Hasselbaink may be right that the Cityzens are not as dominant as they once were. They are not beating teams five or six nil every week, but that doesn’t mean they are not as effective.
The club are currently on an unbeaten run in the league that stretches back 31 games, and it suggests that they are able to grind out results more often, relying on Haaland to get them out of trouble when required.
An injury crisis won’t help matters
Another reason why Guardiola’s men have not caught the eye as much, particularly this season, is due to the number of injuries.
City have no less than 9 players on the treatment table at the moment, with some key figures out of action. Not only is Rodri unavailable for the rest of the campaign, but key playmaker Kevin De Bruyne has been missing for several weeks.
There is no doubt that the Premier League champions have missed the Belgian in the final third of the pitch. He is scheduled to return from a groin problem after the next international break.
Find out who is in Manchester City’s first-team squad for the 2024/2025 season here
