Sunday afternoon at Anfield was perhaps most remarkable for how unremarkable it felt. The expectation was for something cataclysmic, but what unfolded was a typical league game where Liverpool defeated a team not as strong as them. For a while, it seemed Liverpool might suffer for not capitalizing on their early dominance and missed opportunities. However, Manchester City are no longer the nearly invincible force they once were; they made two quick errors, conceding possession and then a penalty, sealing the game for Liverpool. Even Pep Guardiola appears to have acknowledged the inevitable. After the uncomfortable sight of him clawing at his scalp during their recent collapse against Feyenoord, he responded to chants of 'You're getting sacked in the morning' by smiling and raising six fingers, symbolizing his six Premier League titles. Unfortunately, it also signifies the six losses City has suffered in their last seven games.
This raises two questions. First, can anyone halt Liverpool's momentum under Arne Slot, who has won 18 out of 20 games? Second, under what conditions might Guardiola actually be dismissed? So far, Slot has a knack for playing teams when they are in a slump. It's not to undervalue his achievements to note that he's also been fortunate. However, much of Liverpool's opponents' subpar performances can be attributed to facing Liverpool, who have found a balanced style that combines the strengths of Jürgen Klopp's teams without some of their recklessness.
Few managers have left a club in such a strong position as Klopp did. Most leave when the structure is crumbling, but Klopp had started rebuilding, reshaping his forward line and midfield in his final seasons. It's worth noting that Slot has achieved this without signing a single player; a potential issue as Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk, and Mohamed Salah near the end of their contracts. Yet, he did not leave a team so recently successful that the path was inevitably downward. After four consecutive City titles, there was no resistance to change at Liverpool. Slot has navigated the political landscape well, always showing respect to Klopp while subtly adjusting Liverpool's style to be more conservative.
This season, there have been numerous instances where Slot's in-game adjustments have had a clear positive impact. The typical pattern for a Liverpool match has been a somewhat uneventful first half followed by a second half where they score a couple of goals. Against teams like Ipswich, Wolves, Chelsea, Arsenal, Brighton, Bayer Leverkusen, Southampton, and Real Madrid, Liverpool improved after Slot's tactical tweaks. This impressive success rate suggests a manager not only highly skilled in reading the game tactically but also decisive in implementing changes.
Liverpool's lead over Chelsea and Arsenal is nine points with 25 games remaining. While it's too early to declare the race over, especially considering how they might handle a reversal of fortune, it's a substantial advantage, particularly given no reason to expect either Chelsea or Arsenal to embark on an unstoppable winning streak. Arsenal has already faced five of the other six top-seven teams from last season.
Could Guardiola be sacked? It seems improbable. For the past 16 years, he has been undeniably the best coach in the world. Long before joining City, the club was built to his vision. To deviate from that would be a monumental decision for the owners, far more significant than, say, Leicester letting go of Claudio Ranieri or Chelsea dismissing José Mourinho after winning a title, especially given City's ongoing Premier League charges.
However, history shows that once the magic fades in football, it's incredibly difficult to regain (consider Inter in 1966-67, dominant and seemingly on course for a Treble, only to abruptly lose form, winning just two of their final 11 games to end the season empty-handed; Helenio Herrera was given another season, but they finished fifth). In a month, City's aura has dissipated, but who realistically looks better suited than Guardiola to restore it? As long as he feels sufficiently motivated, he will likely be given the chance. But the resources he has to do so will likely hinge on the outcome of the Premier League charges against the club.
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