Reinvigorated Pep Guardiola a scary prospect for Man City title rivals

Crisis, what crisis?

Just as The Sun misrepresented Prime Minister Jim Callaghan back in 1979, the idea that Manchester City are coming apart at the seams was already wholly inaccurate - or at the very least had been grossly exaggerated - even before Pep Guardiola signed a new two-year contract.

"Since the beginning of the season I was thinking a lot, I will be honest, this season should be the last one.

“But in the same moment the situation comes, the problems we have in the last month, I felt now was not the time to leave."

City have won the Premier League in each of the last four seasons, taking Guardiola’s tally to six and his haul of major trophies to 18 in nine years, with the undoubted highlight a Treble-clinching Champions League win in 2023.

But for a club yet to discover whether or not they'll be sanctioned after being charged with 115 alleged breaches of Premier League rules, and a playing squad pushed to the limit by an injury crisis stretching far beyond the season-long absence of Ballon d'Or winner Rodri, it's hard to imagine news that would provide a greater boost.

Guardiola, whose previous deal would have expired in the summer, committing until 2027 provides a level of stability and reassurance City were both in desperate need of, and will immediately benefit from in their pursuit of a fifth straight title, something it would be reasonable to assume - given the coverage of their apparent collapse in form - that they are already highly unlikely to achieve.

The reality is altogether different.

There is no disputing the fact that Guardiola’s new contract comes after a run of four straight defeats for the first time as City boss, but one was in the Champions League and another in the Carabao Cup, with significant caveats attached: at Sporting, in a highly emotional final home game for Ruben Amorim, and at Tottenham when fielding a heavily weakened XI.

Given the narrative, a cursory glance at the table ought to reveal a team way off the pace.

Victory over Spurs on Saturday would move Manchester City to within two points of leaders Liverpool with two thirds of the season still to play; their reputation for peaking in the closing stages of campaigns requires no further explanation.

Most importantly, though, the best manager in the world is seemingly reinvigorated.

"Maybe the four defeats were the reason why I felt I cannot leave.

"Now, I cannot leave.

"I don’t want to let the club down."

Great news for City, a scary prospect for everyone else.

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