If the Manchester City players rediscover their hunger they’ll quickly rise again | OneFootball

There is no other way to describe the 24/25 season for Manchester City other than it’s been a disappointing season by City’s high standards. Especially when you consider that over the past seven seasons before this one, Pep Guardiola’s side has won six Premier League titles and every other major honour in between. In a way, perhaps this was the season that Manchester City had to have. Perhaps next season, Pep Guardiola’s squad will return to form with a vengeance. Listening to quotes from Erling Haaland and Ilkay Gundogan, if the hunger returns to Pep Guardiola’s squad, there’s every chance of that happening.

Erling Haaland and Ilkay Gundogan have spoken on the City’s squad’s loss of hunger.

In an interview with ESPN, Erling Haaland has refused to blame injuries for Manchester City’s poor season. Instead, he spoke of a lack of hunger throughout the Manchester City squad. In an interview published by Rob Dawson, he explained: “Of course, you can find excuses, injuries, many injuries at bad times, but in the end, we haven’t been performing well enough. We haven’t had fully the hunger inside of us. I haven’t been good enough. I haven’t helped the team enough. In the end, we haven’t been good enough.”

Ilkay Gundogan has previously spoken of the same issue affecting the Manchester City squad. In an interview with ESPN in April, he explained: “I feel like in a lot of games from our side maybe we gave sometimes a bit too much importance to tactics and didn’t really pay attention much on behaviour; behaviours of ourselves. Having that determination, that desire, aggressivity. Like simple things that are part of the game, but maybe sometimes you just think too much about positioning yourself or whatever. You might forget the other things that are kind of normal or that should be normal at least.”

If the hunger returns for Manchester City, they can quickly bounce back from this season.

The lack of hunger and desire in the Manchester City squad this season which Erling Haaland and Ilkay Gundogan is understandable. Pep Guardiola’s side has been at the top of English football for a considerable amount of time. They have also conquered Europe and every other competition in between. At some point, the only other place to go from there is down. That is what occurred this season. Eventually the well was going to run dry. Injuries and the poor form of key players has played a part. But the loss of desire and the hunger to maintain their place at the top of the proverbial tree has seen City slip from their perch.

But if the hunger returns Manchester City could bounce back very quickly. It’s clear to see that the hunger to return to the top remains for Pep Guardiola. He wouldn’t have committed to Manchester City for another two seasons if it was lost. His players could use the disappointment of this season to light the fire inside them once again. A host of new signings who are eager to make their mark at Manchester City will also aid on this front.

It isn’t a far fetched notion that the hunger to put a disappointing 24/25 season in the rearview can inspire next season’s Manchester City squad. That hunger has been missing this season. But if it returns, Pep Guardiola’s side can quickly bounce back. That’s what they’ll be hoping to do once the 25/26 season gets underway.