Things can change fast in the Premier League, especially during the busy holiday fixture schedule. The table is very tight so far this season. That can lead to quick a change of fortunes depending on results. As the calendar flips to 2021, can Manchester City form more results together after an unexpectedly slow start to the campaign? Pep Guardiola’s men are unbeaten since the start of December. With this run, they have fought their way back into the title race. They dismantled Chelsea 3-1 at the weekend, putting them just four points behind the leaders with a game in hand.
Manchester City Form Shifting
Unbeaten Run
Since losing to 2-0 to Tottenham Hotspur in late November, Manchester City have gone seven games unbeaten. They have conceded just twice in that span, with one of those goals merely serving as a late consolation for Chelsea on Sunday. Their latest performance was vintage City from their consecutive title-winning seasons before last year. The pressing, ball recovery, and movement were all at the highest level on Sunday.
Kevin De Bruyne thrived in a false nine role with no striker in the starting 11. His vision and passing were on full display. He absolutely bossed the midfield and pulled the strings in attack all match. The talisman also got his first goal from open play this season, while adding his eighth assist of the campaign. If the Belgian can get his scoring boots back on form, and the squad get Sergio Aguero back into the mix, then this team’s current run of results will continue.
Man in the Middle
It is not a coincidence that Manchester City finding their form again coincides with Ilkay Gundogan raising his level of play. The German midfielder has scored three times in his last four starts. His silky turn and strike to open the scoring versus Chelsea was a thing of beauty. He is beginning to form a solid partnership with Rodrigo. These two are starting to control the middle of the pitch, allowing De Bruyne the freedom to find space and create. Gundogan is back to his best after battling some injuries. He provides this team with both the grit needed in midfield and a solid end product in attack.
Stone Walled
Manchester City finding the correct partnership in the back four has also helped propel them back into the title hunt. A few months ago, John Stones was a forgotten man on the bench just trying to get minutes. Guardiola has inserted him back into the starting 11 and he has responded by solidifying the centre-back position. Stones’ passing has helped City as they always look to build from the back. He has also avoided the critical errors that have plagued him in the past. He has been excellent the past few matches while paired with Ruben Dias. This partnership emerging along with the versatility of Kyle Walker, Nathan Ake, and Joao Cancelo gives Guardiola a lot of flexibility in how he organizes his team.
Climbing the Table
This squad is fighting to get back to the top of the table after a sluggish start to the season. The midfield and back four are looking more and more solidified the last couple of weeks. De Bruyne, Gundogan and Stones have all risen their levels. The next step is getting the attack in full flow. Aguero missed much of the first few months with an injury and is only just now getting back in the rotation. Gabriel Jesus has also been out recently with a dental issue. Manchester City need their two strikers back fit and firing in front of goal if they want to continue their climb up the table. The two have just a pair of goals between them in Premier League action this season.
The next five fixtures set up nicely and could see Manchester City finding their way all the back at the top of the league. Aside from a visit from Aston Villa, the other four opponents are all in the bottom half of the table. Four of the matches are also at the Etihad Stadium, so they should be able to accumulate a lot of points before the end of January.
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