Man City's Worst Start in Five Years?

Manchester City is navigating its most challenging start to a season in half a decade, marking the second-worst opening under manager Pep Guardiola. The team currently occupies third place in the Premier League table, having accumulated 22 points from their initial 12 matches.

This current points tally is notably just one shy of their total at the same juncture last season. A historical comparison reveals that City did win the league title in the 2020-21 season with a mere 20 points after 12 games. However, that season lacked a strong title rival like Arsenal, and other contenders like Tottenham and Liverpool had fewer points.

The team's most successful start under Guardiola was the 2017-18 season, where they amassed an impressive 34 points by this stage. The current performance suggests a potential shift in league dynamics and a tougher battle for the title.