Man City stumble, Arsenal and Liverpool eye the throne

IT was supposed to be a celebration. Pep Guardiola had signed a two-year contract extension, Rodri paraded his Ballon d’Or at the Etihad, and Manchester City started strongly in their match.

Yet, the night ended in disappointment as City suffered their fifth consecutive defeat across all competitions – a first under Guardiola’s reign. This marked their worst loss in seven years, a memory reminiscent of the Maine Road days but alien to the current generation of fans.