'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Manchester City fans must be looking over at their rivals and feeling a bit jealous after how the opening week of the Premier League panned out.
While Pep Guardiola’s side fell to a 1-0 defeat at Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool all won their respective matches. And they did it in convincing style.
In all honesty, it’s too early to start making things up and the Cityzens can take solace from the fact that they didn’t start the previous season well, but still went on to win the league.
However, it’ll be completely foolhardy to also think that the current season will follow a similar trajectory. Every team has strengthened and for the first time in many years, we could see a four-team title race.
A troubling start for Manchester City
That is why Manchester City’s poor start to the season is very troubling. It’s not just the results that have been bad, their performances have also been equally unimpressive.
Having released their players for the Euros and Copa America, many of them turned up for pre-season very late, ultimately putting them out of contention in the opening weeks of the season.
If everyone is fit, players like Nathan Ake, Benjamin Mendy and Ferran Torres will be nowhere near the starting line-up. And yet, the aforementioned players started in the Community Shield against Leicester City and against Tottenham last week.
The good thing, though, is that the likes of Kevin De Bruyne, Kyle Walker, John Stones and Rodri should be match-fit for this weekend’s game and that could change a lot.
Norwich game a must-win for Manchester City
It’s going to be a long season but, make no mistake, points dropped in the early stages of the campaign could prove to be costly in a few months’ time.
Manchester City and Guardiola know this very well and that is why the game against Norwich City is a must-win. Anything else could leave them playing catch-up.
"What they (his players) have done so far, many, many years…the main group of the people is the same,” Guardiola said ahead of the game against the Canaries, as quoted by Sky Sports.
“I know their mentality, I know they want to do it, and tomorrow (Saturday) with our people, of course, we want to do it. Football is unpredictable, and everything can happen, and the bad periods can happen again. So we will see.
"But I am more than optimistic [from] what they have done since they arrived, and step by step we will improve."
A false start is no cause for alarm, but dropping points again will certainly be a huge blow for Manchester City, especially with their rivals looking very strong at the moment.
