Manchester City’s recent form has been a surprising struggle on the pitch.
After an unbeaten start across all competitions through late October, City has now suffered three consecutive losses. They currently trail Liverpool by two points in the Premier League and are still in the Champions League knockout race.
Amid this uncharacteristic dip, one pundit and former Premier League player has called out a key City figure for underperforming this season.
In his latest Telegraph column, Jamie Carragher shared his views on Pep Guardiola’s handling of the team since Rodri’s season-ending injury, highlighting Ilkay Gundogan as struggling to fill that void effectively.
“Guardiola has looked to Mateo Kovacic and Ilkay Gundogan to fill the Rodri-shaped gap and they are both top players,” Carragher said. “They are also in their thirties, so maintaining the necessary intensity levels game after game is tougher for them. Gundogan has not looked like the same player who left City for Barcelona.”
Gundogan’s Season So Far
Ahead of City’s three-game losing streak, Gundogan himself addressed Rodri’s injury, admitting it was a big blow for the team. He said, “We’ll miss a big player with Rodri being out injured, which is a big blow for us—not just for his quality on the pitch, but also for his personality and character.”
The veteran midfielder continued, saying, “But if we’ve shown or proven something in the past years, it’s that we can handle these kinds of situations well, and that’s our aim moving forward.”
Since returning to City from Barcelona in August, Gundogan has made 14 appearances in all competitions, starting nine games, and recording one goal and one assist. His stats for the season include:
- Premier League: 9 appearances, 0 goals, 1 assist, 555 minutes
- Champions League: 4 appearances, 1 goal, 0 assists, 217 minutes
- Carabao Cup: 1 appearance, 0 goals, 0 assists, 45 minutes
Having started in six out of nine Premier League matches, the 34-year-old has managed an average rating of 6.62/10 on WhoScored, positioning him as the second-lowest-rated player among City’s regular starters.
For Carragher, Gundogan’s recent performances have been underwhelming, especially for a player who captained City to their 2022/23 Treble victory. With Rodri out for the season, Gundogan will need to step up if City hopes to secure silverware this year.
