Does Champions League Qualification and an FA Cup Win Save Pep's Job
Last August, predicting Manchester City's 2024/25 season would spiral into a fight for any silverware seemed unthinkable. Fresh off a fourth consecutive Premier League title, Pep Guardiola's squad was the untouchable favorite to dominate yet again. Fast forward to today, City are clawing for a top-five finish to secure Champions League qualification, having been knocked out of this season's competition earlier than anyone expected.
Now, with a third consecutive FA Cup final in sight and Champions League football within reach, the question looms: will these achievements be enough to secure Pep Guardiola's job, or has the shine worn off his once-untouchable reign and tactical approach?
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City's season has been a rollercoaster derailed by a perfect storm. The absence of Rodri, their Ballon d'Or-winning midfielder, has been nothing short of catastrophic. City average 2.37 points per game with him, plummeting to 1.69 without, according to ESPN.
When Plan A Doesn't Work -Fans Want to See a Plan B
Injuries to Erling Haaland (now sidelined until at least mid-May with a knee injury), Kevin De Bruyne, and others have compounded the chaos. Haaland's meager two goals in seven league games before his injury, despite an xG of 7.8 (per The Guardian), laid bare a rare lack of ruthlessness. A 4-0 home thrashing by Tottenham, City's worst defeat in over two decades, left the Etihad stunned and sparked heated debates about Guardiola's approach.
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Critics have pounced, arguing that Pep's rigid commitment to his high-pressing, possession-based system is faltering. 'We are not at our level,' Guardiola admitted after a 4-1 win over West Ham, yet he has stuck to his tiki-taka guns. Rivals like Liverpool, crowned Premier League champions, and Arsenal have outmaneuvered City by blending pragmatism with flair, exposing a 'porous midfield' that pundits, per Premier League reviews, say is too easily carved open. Social media is ablaze with fans pleading for a Plan B, perhaps a counter-attacking spark or a sturdier defensive setup, but Pep's philosophy remains unyielding. Does Guardiola still know best?
Yet, there is another side to the story. City's recent form, a seven-game unbeaten run, including vital wins over Everton and Aston Villa, shows signs of a revival. Their 2-0 victory over Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup semi-final has booked a final against Crystal Palace, offering a shot at silverware. With an 81.7% chance of securing a top-five finish, per Opta's supercomputer, Champions League qualification is firmly in their hands.
'Being in another final speaks so highly about this generation of players,' Guardiola said, per Yahoo Sports. For some, this resilience under pressure is proof of Pep's genius. Other clubs would kill for this so-called crisis, echoing those who point to City's six Premier League titles in eight years and their consistent FA Cup heroics.
Related: Two Windows, One Headache: EPL's Bold Club World Cup Transfer Fix - Athlon Sports
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