Manchester City’s season has begun to feel like a thriller with a missing final act. After surrendering a 2-0 lead to draw 2-2 at Tottenham on Sunday, Pep Guardiola’s side has now failed to close out three of their last four league games in which they led at half-time; a pattern that threatens to derail their charge at Arsenal at the top of the table. An opinion piece penned on the BBC website by former Liverpool FC player and BBC columnist Danny Murphy breaks down what he feels is ailing Pep Guardiola's team.
What unfolded at Spurs was not merely a tactical tweak; it was a shift in temperament.
City dominated the first half, carving open Tottenham with fluid movement and a press that produced their opener. But after the break, the script flipped. Tottenham returned re-energised, reshaped and ruthless; City looked, for a spell, complacent. The result was a dramatic reversal that felt less like a surprise and more like a warning.
Tactics vs temperament
Tactics mattered; Frank’s halftime reshuffle to a more orthodox 4-4-1-1 narrowed the spaces and stopped City playing through the lines as easily. Yet the decisive factor was attitude.
Spurs matched and then outworked City in the duels, anticipated second balls and won the battles high up the pitch. When a side with less individual quality raises its collective intensity, it can unsettle even the most polished opponents. Tottenham wanted it more in the second half and they showed it.
Mental lapse more than physical fatigue
There are two usual culprits for a second-half dip: fatigue or mindset. Given City’s rotation and squad depth, exhaustion feels an unlikely villain.
This looked like a psychological stumble; the kind of complacency that creeps in when a game feels comfortable and the scoreboard flatters you.
City were 2-0 up and could easily have been further ahead; that dominance bred a false sense of security. For a team with so much experience, that switch-off is worrying — and it’s not the first time it’s happened recently.
First half masterclass, second half unravel
The opening 45 minutes showcased the City we expect: composed, dangerous and inventive. Guardiola’s split front two caused problems, Bernardo Silva’s roaming created overloads, and the press was clinical.
But after the interval, the momentum evaporated. City lost control, their front pair failed to hold the ball or offer consistent outlets, and even the usually steady game management dissolved. Only a couple of superb saves from Gianluigi Donnarumma prevented a heavier defeat.
The bigger picture
City have won just one of their last six league games, a run that jars with the quality and experience in their squad. They remain within touching distance of Arsenal — six points is recoverable and the Etihad fixture still looms — but the pattern is clear: when City go ahead, some players appear to believe the job is done. That mindset will not win titles. Guardiola’s side can still mount the long, relentless run they’ve produced before, but first they must rediscover the ruthless consistency that turns promising halves into full-match victories.
