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Manchester City are seemingly unstoppable this season. The Manchester outfit have been in lethal form ever since the season started and the Premier League table is a testament to their abilities. They sit at the top of the table with a nine-point lead over second-placed Liverpool.
Arguably one of the strongest squads in Europe, City are blessed with a plethora of options in all positions.
The current Manchester City squad is the most expensive squad ever built in football history. It has been carefully assembled over the years by coach Pep Guardiola.
The squad's depth is a key factor in the side's success and has enabled Guardiola to win three titles in the last four years. Cityzens are well on course to win the title this year as well.
However, there are some players who haven't stepped up for the club as brilliantly as they can. One can only imagine how lethal City would be if these players started performing at their full potential as well.
On that note, let's take a look at five underperforming Manchester City players from this season:
#5. Ilkay Gundogan
Ilkay Gundogan is admittedly a surprise name on this list.
The German joined Manchester City in 2016 for a reported £20 million, becoming the first signing of the Guardiola era. He has previously represented Borussia Dortmund, where he rose to fame as one of the league's best midfielders.
Gundogan has evolved his game over the years under Guardiola. An extremely versatile midfielder, Gundogan is capable of playing anywhere in the middle of the park.
Gundogan's most memorable period of his five years at the club was certainly that of last season's Premier League. Gundogan featured more regularly after an injury to Kevin de Bruyne and put in some truly fantastic performances.
He scored 13 goals and provided four assists in his 28 Premier League appearances last season. He is arguably a victim of his own success, as he seems to have set exceptionally high standards for himself. He has scored four goals and made two assists in 15 league appearances so far this season.
#4. John Stones
John Stones is another experienced campaigner who has looked off the pace this season.
The Englishman signed from Everton for a reported £47.5 million in 2016. He has certainly played his part in Manchester City's successes over the past few years. He has been a regular face in City's starting lineup, especially during last season's title-winning run when he made 22 league appearances.
Stones has looked like a shadow of his former self this season. He has shown in the past that he is more than capable of handling the energy of English football, but hasn't been up to the mark this year.
He has featured only seven times in the Premier League this season and has failed to be convincing on the field. He now seems to have fallen behind the pecking order after the likes of Ruben Dias, Aymeric Laporte and Nathan Ake.
#3. Phil Foden
Phil Foden is another player who has yet to hit his full potential this season.
The 21-year-old has enjoyed a meteoric rise to fame, especially over the last couple of years. Foden was an integral part of City's success last season, enabling the side to win the Premier League and reach the final of the UEFA Champions League.
Foden finished last year among the club's top three goalscorers, behind only Raheem Sterling and Ilkay Gundogan. He scored 16 goals and made 10 assists in 50 appearances in all competitions last season.
However, he has yet to find his footing this year, as his output has drastically reduced.
Foden won the prestigious Premier League Young Player award, as well as the PFA Young Player of the Year award last year. This ensured that expectations from him were set at an all-time high.
However, he will need to pull his socks up if City are to challenge for Europe's top honors this season. He has scored seven goals and made six assists in 22 appearances this season in all competitions.
#2. Raheem Sterling
Raheem Sterling is currently one of the club's longest-serving players.
Sterling signed for Manchester City in 2015 for a reported £49 million from Liverpool, becoming the most expensive English player at the time. He has been incredibly consistent for his side over the years.
Sterling primarily operates as a winger and is also capable of playing as an attacking midfielder or striker. His goal involvement has been remarkingly consistent, especially under Pep Guardiola.
The 27-year-old had an excellent summer with the English national team, playing a key part in the side's run to the UEFA Euro 2020 final. He returned this season with lofty expectations, but has failed to meet them.
Sterling still has a decent goalscoring record this season, but seems to be missing a lot more chances. He has scored nine goals and made three assists in 27 appearances in all competitions this season so far.
His style of play has seemed more passive this season. This will have to change if City are to stay competitive in all tournaments.
#1. Jack Grealish
Jack Grealish came to the Etihad last year with extremely high expectations.
Grealish came up through Aston Villa's system, even being promoted as the club's captain before his departure. Grealish enjoyed a stellar time with Villa, grabbing the attention of Europe's elite with his performances.
Manchester City won the battle for Grealish and signed him in August 2021 for a reported £100 million. He became the most expensive English player in football history.
His final season with Aston Villa saw Grealish score six goals and provide an impressive 15 assists in the Premier League. He was signed to deliver a similar output for City but that hasn't been the case.
Grealish has featured regularly for Cityzens this season, making a total of 23 appearances across all competitions. However, he has registered only two goals this season, a number that is incredibly low for someone of his stature.
With just under half the season remaining, Grealish has a lot to do before he can begin to justify his price tag.
