Far from the competitive break of most European events on these dates, English football accelerates and intensifies its calendar and football monopolizes the days moved by tradition, especially with what is known as ‘boxing day’, converted into a festive event and solidarity in the fields of the United Kingdom.
In less than a week and a half, three days are completed in England, in full swing due to the great moment of its leader, Liverpool, in the post-Klopp era, with Arne Slot on the bench, and, above all, for the unexpected and striking decline of the current champion, the Manchester City of the Spanish Pep Guardiolain the middle of the crisis.
It is a new situation for the former Bayern Munich and Barcelona coach accustomed to winning year after year and imposing his authority in each competition. The citizen team opens the eighteenth day of the English league outside the European zone, burdened by nine defeats, two draws and only one victory in twelve games that have cost them falling from the top of the Premier table, being eliminated, by Tottenham, from the League Cup and also outside the top eight of the Champions League, with qualification still pending.
“When you have problems in defense and in the middle, it’s about the whole team. Not just one player. If it were just one player, we would see it quickly,” Guardiola insisted. “Erling is very important to us, he will be and we need to use him better”added the coach, who defended his forward, Erling Haaland, who has only scored two goals in his last games in the Premier.
But this is not the only problem facing Manchester City, which is praying that 2025 is not the year it fears. According to several English media, the Independent Commission that tries City on more than 100 charges of financial irregularities and non-compliance with the Premier League’s Financial Fair Play, could announce its decision during this coming month of January. And one of the sanctions that are being considered is the expulsion of the Premier team and its subsequent demotion. Whatever happens, Guardiola has already announced that he will remain at the club.
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