Gary Neville believes that Manchester City has “ended up” and needs a “complete reset” after their last loss to Premier League Liverpool leaders.
The Champions City reign is now 20 points behind Arne Slot’s squad after losing 2-0 at Etihad Stadium on Sunday.
The city, without the injured Erling Haaland, had no power and their loss underlined their startling decline this season after winning the title for the past four seasons.
Pep Guardiola’s men remain fourth on the table, but the qualification for the Champions League is now their target in the league after the Reds completed a double championship over City.
Former Manchester United Protector Neville told Neville Heavenly: “This will be painful for Man City, but maybe Pep Guardiola needs it, maybe the club needs it. A complete reset.
“They have been running for a million miles per hour for years, the title battles against Liverpool. But they have just finished their feet, they are not finished steam. They are old together.
“Pep Guardiola will have to build a whole new title win team. He knows what it seems, that’s for sure.”
The loss to Liverpool was the eighth city in the league so far this season.
Their worst campaign for losses under Guardiola returned in 2019/20 when they lost nine games.
Pep: This club has a bright future
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Guardiola was pleased with Man City’s performance, despite being lost in Liverpool and he admitted that they are far from their rivals, but said the future of the club is bright
The loss to Liverpool was the eighth city in the league so far this season. Their worst campaign for losses under Guardiola returned in 2019/20 when they lost nine games.
Despite their efforts this season the Guardiola is the city of Adamant still has a bright future.
“If you lose, you have to lose the way we lost today,” Guardiola said Heavenly. “I saw a lot of things this club has a bright future with the players we have.
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Manchester City put a delightful message on the big Etihad screen to remind everyone of those who are four times champions
“Apart from Kevin de Bruyne and maybe Nathan AKE, all the players are so young. What club decides on the future, there is a bright future for this club in the coming years.
“Everyone knows that part will be here next season for older players, but we have to build for the next step. There is a time question.
“Even with the amount of shortages we have, we have played well. They break the lines and can break behind you. They really threaten, but we bring them there and all we have lost is that in the last third, this It depends on the talent to dribble or shoot at the right time.
“We’re far away. We’ll see in the future. What we have done in the previous seasons is good, but now we are far from them.”
Keane: There should be no panic from the city
Meanwhile, Roy Keane thinks there will be further changes to come this summer and expect some older players to move from Guardiola.
Manchester City had a compressed window for January transfer, 180m bringing Omar Marmosh, Abdukodir Khusanov, Vitor Reis and Nico Gonzalez.
With Kevin de Bruyne out of the contract and the future of other non -secure older players, Keane expects a further arrangement of the team during the summer.
“Some of the city players will be under pressure,” he told Heavenly.
“Will Pepa want to hold some of them? It will depend a lot on their contract situations and with Kevin de Bruyne’s likes out of the contract and some others, you will automatically think that they will probably go on.
Asked if this would be the right thing, Keane replied, “Maybe. We’ve all been there, especially when you are playing in midfield, and it’s hard. The manager then has to make a decision.
“You have to see the biggest picture, but from City’s point of view, I wouldn’t panic.
“They have recruited and will have a different look during the summer. Some of the elderly players will go on, but that’s just the nature of the beast.”
If you think of the broad players Man Man City had when they were dominating, they are definitely short in that area now. If you think about Raheem Sterling, Riyad Mahrez and Leroy Sane, is definitely an area that they need to improve.
Carra: City should take their proper recruitment
Jamie Carragher thinks City will turn challenging for honors again next season, but only if they get their right recruitment.
“Liverpool was in the same position as Manchester City a few years ago and they received their proper recruitment.
“You look at the Mac Allister midfield, Gravenberch and Szoboszlai, they were bought at the back of Liverpool being in a situation similar to City.
“They were fighting to enter the Champions League and they had Jordan Henderson and Fabinho in the middle of the park. They had been absolute stalwarts for the club, but they needed to go further.
“It’s just about getting the right recruitment.
“If City gets those two or three players in midfield, and let’s not forget that their recruitment has already begun, they will turn challenging next season.”
