Man City’s top-five chase could go to wire after shock FA Cup defeat | OneFootball

Man City, Faltering Form and the Chaotic Chase for Champions League Football

Man City’s season defined by unease and uncertainty

In a campaign that has often been characterised by turbulence rather than triumph, the question now confronting Manchester City is both glaring and uncomfortably unfamiliar: What now?

For a team once synonymous with dominance, the current Premier League table paints a stark picture. Sixth place. Two games to play. No silverware secured. The FA Cup final defeat to Crystal Palace, momentous for their opponents, was just as defining for City—if for entirely different reasons.

Photo IMAGO

While all credit was rightly given to Palace’s greatest day, City’s display could only be described as listless. Bereft of urgency, inspiration or coherence, it was a performance that reeked of a side caught between eras, or perhaps simply out of ideas.

Fixtures that offer little certainty

Two games remain. Bournemouth and Fulham—both comfortably mid-table, both chasing the ambiguous carrot of eighth place and potential Conference League qualification. On paper, these are fixtures City should win. But then again, this hasn’t been a season lived on paper.

Their most recent performances offer little comfort. The draw against Southampton was painful in its inertia. The FA Cup final, against a team with significantly fewer resources, was a tactical and emotional surrender. Even Ruben Dias, never short of defiance, had little to offer in mitigation.

Photo IMAGO

There was a point earlier in the season when City looked ominous, poised for another march. Then came the collapse—a baffling loss of form that seemed to drain them of all belief. A brief resurgence followed, prompting some to assume they’d found themselves again. But the last two games have shattered that illusion.

Questions that go beyond the table

What does this mean for their immediate future? Should City fail to secure a top-five finish and miss out on the Champions League, the consequences could be more than just symbolic.

Would Europa League football affect their ability to attract elite reinforcements? Would Pep Guardiola view it as a personal failure or as a reason to accelerate thoughts of stepping away? The latter still feels unlikely, but football rarely respects reputations when reality bites.

Photo: IMAGO

Even if they do qualify, what version of City will return next season? This squad, though still stacked with talent, has shown signs of psychological wear and tactical fatigue. The identity that once defined Guardiola’s side—fluidity, aggression, fearlessness—has been replaced too often with a kind of ponderous uncertainty.

Final day chaos could bring clarity

For neutrals, there is at least some intrigue in the uncertainty. A draw with Bournemouth on Tuesday would leave City on 66 points heading into the final day. That would set up an extraordinary climax: City, Newcastle, Chelsea, and Aston Villa all locked on 66, with Nottingham Forest just behind on 65. Five teams, three places, one final act.

In a season largely lacking in captivating narratives, a chaotic final-day scrap for Champions League football could offer just the jolt it needs. Man City, no longer kings, are now just contenders. And that changes everything.