Manchester City’s struggles this season have sparked discussions about Pep Guardiola’s future, with former Manchester United defender Mikael Silvestre suggesting it may be time for a managerial change.
The reigning Premier League champions suffered a humiliating 5-1 loss to Arsenal on Sunday, extending their winless streak against Mikel Arteta’s side to five matches.
City’s decline has been noticeable, particularly since the latter half of 2024, when they managed just two victories in their final 15 games across all competitions.
Despite this poor run, the club backed Guardiola with a two-year contract extension in November and made significant reinforcements in the January transfer window, spending £123 million on Omar Marmoush, Vitor Reis, and Abdukodir Khusanov. However, their performances remain inconsistent, with a heavy Champions League defeat to Paris Saint-Germain preceding their latest domestic setback.
Silvestre, speaking on beIN Sports, argued that City’s leadership should seriously evaluate Guardiola’s position. “If I were an executive, I would be having these discussions with the owners,” he said. “They’ve tried to fix the team multiple times, but it’s just not working.”
Andy Gray, on the other hand, believes Guardiola’s past success grants him more time. “The consistency City showed over four years was remarkable, and that earns him some credit even in a rough patch,” Gray stated.
“They started this season strongly, but things have unraveled. Still, I’d be shocked if the club is actually considering sacking him.”
Guardiola himself admitted City must learn from their mistakes. “We had a plan, but we didn’t execute it,” he said post-match. “We have to stay disciplined and stick to what we discuss. Hopefully, this will be a lesson for the future.”
With City fighting to stay in the top four, the pressure is mounting. Whether the club will stand by Guardiola or make a drastic change remains to be seen.