Manchester City have drifted deeper into the darkness of their former triumphs after suffering their eighth defeat in 11 matches across all competitions at the hands of their bitter rivals Manchester United at the Etihad Stadium last weekend.
In similar fashion to their disastrous 3-3 draw with Feyenoord, the Citizens collapsed and threw away their advantage in the dying embers, conceded twice in the space of just one minute and 55 seconds to lose 2-1 against the Red Devils, leaving Pep Guardiola's men nine points behind the Premier League summit and with their title hopes in tatters.
Since the beginning of November, no team has fewer points per game in the Premier League than reigning champions Man City (0.57), not even basement club Southampton (0.67) who recently sacked their manager Russell Martin.
Man City have conceded 25 goals during their dismal run of form, more than any other team in Europe's top-five leagues in the same period, shipping at least two or more goals in 10 of those games, and this defensively-frail side were left visibly deflated after suffering arguably their most painful loss of all against Man United.
"I feel like there's been a seismic shift internally, mentally," Man City expert Steven McInerney from Esteemed Kompany told Sports Mole. "I feel this is a lot more drastic than I probably wanted to believe and it's been staring City in the face for a little bit of time.
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McInerney: "The only potential solution to a drastic situation is a drastic one"
"This is worse form than what's just cost Gary O'Neil his job (at Wolves). It's literally the worst form in the league, it's relegation form, and it's Manchester City, a team that have achieved so much.
"There is only so long you can be this bad before you have to just presume that this is sincerely a drastic situation, and the only potential solution to a drastic situation is a drastic one.
"We're staring down the fact that, right now, where the City squad is, where the confidence is mentally, where their ability is, it's all just falling short and I think Pep's solutions are unfortunately falling short.
"I think it takes a real abusive performance mentally - and it was, it hurts - it takes a game like that to go 'I think we're going to have a real serious conversation here, and I think we need to change things'".
Guardiola delivered a brutal self-assessment after the defeat to Man United, admitting that he is "not good enough" to solve Man City's mounting problems and is struggling to find the correct solutions.
Following last weekend's action, McInerney spoke in depth to Sports Mole senior reporter Oliver Thomas about how immense Man City's problems are at present, whether their Premier League title hopes are now over and whether Guardiola's "public change in tact" could provide the impetus needed to bring about much-needed change.
Press play on the video at the top of this article to hear the full discussion.
Oliver Thomas
