Man City are building a new Premier League reputation after losing control

First, the bad news. Manchester City have lost one of their biggest strengths[1]: the ability to hold on to leads and win games is no more. Where last year the champions surrendered a lead just nine times in 38 Premier League[2] matches – and not once between drawing at Nottingham Forest in February and winning the title in May – Saturday’s game at Newcastle means it is already 10 times in 20 matches this season.

There is a sense around the league that Pep Guardiola’s side[3] may be more vulnerable after a summer of change at the Etihad, that there is no longer the air of inevitability and supremacy about them that means opponents accept defeat when they go behind. That has been shown by Crystal Palace coming from two goals down to earn a draw away from home, or Arsenal scoring late and decisive goals in both the league and the Community Shield. ALSO READ: Pep explains what Begiristain told him about Bobb as City offset Palmer exit[4]

ALSO READ: Oscar Bobb dressing room celebration showed Man City faith has been repaid[5] But here’s the bad news for everyone else: City are making that irrelevant. The transition to the latest iteration of the team may still be ongoing – not helped by injuries to key players – but the Blues have already adapted to make up for their failure to protect leads.

Saturday was the third consecutive away game in the Premier League where City have trailed at half-time and won the game, becoming just the fourth side in competition history to achieve that. Add in the West Ham game in September and they have done that four times in 11 away games. If they have already gone behind more times and squandered leads more times than last season in basically half the number of games, they have also already recovered more points.

Four wins and two draws from losing positions make it 14 points gained, as opposed to just 10 last season. And while they have lost a lead more times this season, their ability to bounce back from that has been better to result in just eight dropped points against 13 last season. You would, however, expect this season’s tally to overtake last season’s if City continue to let leads slip in the second half of this campaign.

City may well be easier to peg back this season, but they are also harder to stop once they have been. Liverpool[6] have been the king of comebacks this season to take their place at the top of the table, although the Blues are within touching distance. Losing so many leads and going behind so many times feels like it will catch up with City because it is not what we are used to seeing from the side that won the title last season. Neither are the recoveries, though.

While Guardiola’s side have lost one of their biggest strengths, they have adapted to that emphatically to suggest that they may have found a different route to the top.

References

1. ^ City have lost one of their biggest strengths (www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk)
2. ^ Premier League (www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk)
3. ^ Pep Guardiola’s side (www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk)
4. ^ Pep explains what Begiristain told him about Bobb as City offset Palmer exit (www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk)
5. ^ Oscar Bobb dressing room celebration showed Man City faith has been repaid (www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk)
6. ^ Liverpool (www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk)