Man City put 'annus horribilis' in rearview mirror | OneFootball

After a shocking slump and a trophy-less 2024/25 campaign, Man City's hot form at the sweltering Club World Cup in the USA suggests they are recovering from their seismic blip.

Pep Guardiola cut a manic and dejected figure for much of last season, as City - without their injured Ballon d'Or winning maestro Rodri - imploded: the Cityzens limping to a third-place finish in the Premier League, crashing out of the Champions League to PSG at the play-off stage and then losing 1-0 to Crystal Palace in the FA Cup final at Wembley.

Some rather desperate transfer dealing in January helped steady the Cityzens' ship, though, and three further big signings this summer have helped City find their groove at the Club World Cup.

Full-back Rayan Air-Nouri, midfielder Tijjani Reijnders and French playmaker Rayan Cherki have impressed out in the US and the trio all played their part in City's convincing 5-2 win over Juventus in Orlando yesterday - City winning Group G and setting up a last 16 clash against Al-Hilal in the process.

Midfield kingpin Rodri was handed a first start since his long lay-off against Juve, and when you add in Phil Foden's return to form and the impact made by Egyptian forward Omar Marmoush since his January move from Eintracht Frankfurt, Guardiola's side look primed to return to their formidable best next season.

City had five different players on the scoresheet against the Serie A side yesterday, and they currently top a raft of statistics after the group stages of the Club World Cup.

The only team with a perfect record thus far in the competition, City are the top scorers at the tournament thus far with 13 goals (one ahead of Bayern Munich) and they actually made history yesterday by becoming the first English team in history to bang five goals past Juventus.

In an attacking sense, City appear to be shifting up a gear or two...but their manager Guardiola will know his side need to tighten up at the other end of the pitch if they are to again hit the sky-high standards that saw them win four consecutive Premier League titles between 2020/21 and 2023/24, and lift the Champions League for the first time in 2022/23.

The two goals shipped by the Cityzens against Juve yesterday mean City have conceded 74 goals and counting in the 2024/25 campaign - only once have they conceded more in a season since 2000 (back in 2000/01 when they suffered 77 goals across all competitions).

For now, at least, City have a spring in their step again...and that is ominous for their Premier League rivals!