Can Manchester City Still Win The 2023 Premier League Title?
Pep Guardiola did not express defeat after Manchester City’s late and controversial loss to Manchester United, but he also did not boast. City were close to a successful victory at Old Trafford after a goal from Jack Grealish, but Bruno Fernandes tied the game for United, and Marcus Rashford scored the winning goal despite being in an offside position. Guardiola stated, “We’re not going to win every title for the next 25 years. We will fight because we saw today that we want to fight and played to win.
But sometimes football is like that, you don’t win,” He also acknowledged that his team could be eight points behind the leaders Arsenal by the end of the weekend, but stated, “Of course we want to try but what I want is to behave in this way. Sometimes it will happen, sometimes not. I know all the time you have to be better to win this league.”
Since returning from the post-Qatar break, Manchester City’s performance has not been as strong as that of their rival, Marcus Rashford. They have had successful wins against teams such as Liverpool and Chelsea in cup competitions and they were able to handle the challenge of playing against Leeds at Elland Road, however, they were not able to secure a victory against crisis club Everton and had a poor performance in a 2-0 defeat to Southampton in the Carabao Cup.
Despite this, Guardiola has a calm attitude, as his team has won four out of the last five Premier League titles. The last team to win three consecutive titles was Manchester United under Alex Ferguson between 2006/07 and 2008/09.
Can City Still Win The League?
It is still possible for Manchester City to win the Premier League title, despite their recent defeat at Old Trafford and their current trajectory. According to SkyBet, they are still considered the favorites to win with odds of 10/11, followed by Arsenal at 11/10, and Manchester United at 10/1. City’s past success is taken into consideration, however, there are still factors in the present that can change their chances of winning the title.
Still Have To Play Arsenal
Manchester City still have the opportunity to play against Arsenal multiple times this season. Due to the unique schedule of this season, which includes the World Cup and a postponement of games due to the death of Queen Elizabeth II, the competition between City and Arsenal for the title has not yet been directly face-to-face. They have a rearranged match at the Emirates Stadium on February 15th, and a possible crucial match in East Manchester on April 26th.
Additionally, the teams will meet in the FA Cup on January 27th. As City has lost ground in the standings, it is crucial that they take advantage of these upcoming opportunities to make a direct impact on Arsenal’s position in the league.
Must Win Against Spurs
In the coming weeks, Manchester City’s path to winning the title will involve facing Tottenham Hotspur in North London. They will play against them on Thursday, January 19th, and again on February 5th. These games will be important for City as they have not had a positive record against Tottenham in the past three seasons, with one win, one draw and four losses, despite Tottenham changing managers during this time.
The future of Tottenham’s current manager Antonio Conte is uncertain, so City may have a good chance of beating them. They will also play against Arsenal in the North London Derby before their match against Tottenham, which will also have a significant impact on the league standings.
City Have Two Young Stars
Erling Haaland, the 22-year-old forward for Manchester City, has not scored a goal in his last three games, including the Manchester derby. Despite this, he has a strong overall record with 27 goals in 24 appearances. City will need to find a way to create more opportunities for him to score, particularly away from home. One potential solution is to give more playing time to Julian Alvarez, who has been praised for his attitude, body language and positive mood, which could help bring energy to the team.
Don’t Lose The Faith!
Despite Manchester City’s recent setbacks, it is still possible for them to win the Premier League title. Their past success and strong squad should not be overlooked. The team may need to find ways to create more opportunities for their key players, such as Erling Haaland, and potentially give more playing time to players like Julian Alvarez who can bring energy to the team.
The Premier League is a long and competitive season and it is not yet certain who will come out on top. Therefore, it is premature to write Manchester City off as contender for the title.