Manchester City's Premier League title challenge is faltering as defensive frailties continue to undermine their campaign, with the Blues slipping to a third successive top-flight defeat at Nottingham Forest on Saturday evening. City shipped three goals at the City Ground, extending their run without a clean sheet to nine games in all competitions.
Individual errors have contributed significantly in recent weeks, but the backline looks brittle, and only seven Premier League sides have conceded more goals than second-placed City this season. The signs were present even during the seven-game winning start to the top flight, when City's firepower bailed them out on more than one occasion, but those statistics were not sustainable.
Unsettled Back Four
Manager Enzo Maresca has fielded four different back fours in the last four Premier League games, and the last time he used the same defence in successive matches was for the wins at Porto and Manchester United in September. There has been more consistency in the Premier League, but there have still been four different City defensive selections in 10 games.
At the City Ground, Maresca went with his most trusted top-flight selection: Khusanov at right-back, Dias and Guehi in the middle, and Gvardiol at left-back. That has been the City boss's selection in four Premier League fixtures this season, but a double defensive change at the break highlighted how it was not working.
Individual Errors Mount
Gvardiol has had a shaky start to the season and looks short of his best form, while Khusanov has performed significantly better at centre-half than right-back. The Dias and Guehi combination has not looked at all secure. In their last four starts together, one of that pair has been taken off at half-time, with the skipper withdrawn when City were trailing 3-0 at home to PSG in the Champions League, while Guehi was hooked when the Blues were one down at Villa and 2-0 behind against Forest.
There have been individual errors leading to goals in each of the last three top-flight fixtures, all defeats, against Villa, Brighton and Forest, while goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma was at fault for a goal against RB Leipzig in midweek.
Search for a Solution
In recent weeks the City defence has looked fragile and short of confidence. Maresca's chopping and changing, both during games and week to week, may not be helping, and the Italian has seemingly yet to settle on his favoured back four, even if he cannot legislate for some of the individual mistakes he is watching.
Between manager and squad, a solution must be found if City are to challenge for silverware this season. So far, the Blues have been found wanting.
