Former Manchester United defender, Gary Neville claimed that Manchester City are struggling to replicate their last season’s incredible display due to the dullness of fans at the Etihad Stadium.
The SkySports pundit indicated that even manager Pep Guardiola noticed it during last weekend’s contest against Liverpool.
Following a 3-3 draw between City and Tottenham at the Etihad on Sunday, City were held for the third consecutive Premier League match. That is after the matches against Liverpool and Chelsea. The result puts the defending champions in third place, one point behind second-place Liverpool and three adrift the top.
What Did Neville Say About The Fans Of Manchester City?
“What we’re seeing is what I thought we’d see at the start of the season when I said Arsenal would win the league – is those post-treble blues,” said Neville on his podcast as reported by Liverpool Echo.
“You’ve reached utopia in football terms, mesmerising highs they’ll never reach again – probably. After that everything becomes inferior.
“Sometimes you have to lose the league to feel excitement again and what we’re seeing by City is a team playing like they need to lose to win again, I think the crowd also have been so blessed.
“When you’re climbing the mountain you create a great atmosphere, sometimes you go out on the pitch and there’s an expectation but when it’s 0-0 and the games drifting, they’ll go quiet.
“What we’re witnessing from City is complacency and that edge missing, it’s natural, it’s human nature.”
Neville’s assertion builds on Guardiola’s remarks regarding Liverpool’s showing in Manchester.
The Spaniard said: “It’s 12.30, we were still in the sheets. It’s 12.30, we were still sleeping a little bit. It’s 12.30.
See Also: Onana Labelled As “Second-Best Goalkeeper In Premier League” By Ten Hag
“Yeah, I would like noise. I like noise against Liverpool but okay, it didn’t happen. Do you know what I feel when it doesn’t happen? You have to play better.
“Create more chances and make environments to make the crowd follow us. We need them. All these years in important moments, we did it together and we need them. Because these guys deserve it.”
COMMENTS