Football pundit Alan Shearer has pointed to a significant weakness in Manchester City's armoury, suggesting their faltering defence could be their undoing in this season's fiercely contested Premier League title race.
St James' Park Setback
The warning comes after Pep Guardiola's side suffered a disappointing 2-1 defeat to Newcastle United at St James' Park. City had a golden opportunity to close the gap on league leaders Arsenal to just a single point ahead of the North London derby. However, a second-half brace from Harvey Barnes secured a vital three points for the Magpies, further denting City's championship aspirations.
The loss means Manchester City have now suffered consecutive away defeats and have slipped to third place in the table, behind Chelsea. The situation could worsen, with the potential for City to trail Arsenal by seven points if Mikel Arteta's team triumphs over Tottenham on Sunday.
Defensive Frailty, Not VAR, the Real Issue
While Newcastle's winning goal was mired in controversy after a lengthy VAR review, Shearer believes Guardiola's post-match frustrations were misplaced. The former England captain, speaking on Premier League Productions, argued that the team's defensive vulnerability is the primary cause for alarm.
"I understand his frustration because his team have been beaten and well-beaten in that second half," Shearer stated. "They didn't create a lot. He's raw just after the game... but for me the concern would be how many chances they are giving up, not any refereeing decisions or bad luck."
Shearer emphasised the scale of the defensive collapse, noting, "If Newcastle had their shooting boots on, they should have scored six or seven – they missed four absolute sitters. The way they carved City open would be a bigger concern for me."
A Shadow of Their Former Selves
The result has led to questions about whether this City squad can replicate the dominance of recent years. With defending champions Liverpool also faltering, many had tipped City as the primary challengers to Arsenal. Shearer, however, believes the current team is a step below the one that secured four consecutive league titles.
"They are certainly not as good as they were, and we might never see them as good as what they were when they were on that unbelievable run," he added. "They were brilliant and I'm not sure we'll see them get to that again."
A key factor in this decline, according to Shearer, is the absence of a player like Rodri. "They are certainly not the same team without the brilliant Rodri and the protection he gives them... I'm not sure they've replaced him as yet."
He concluded with a stark assessment: "The concern would be for me defensively. They are always going to score goals, particularly with Haaland up front, but defensively they certainly aren't as sharp as they used to be."
Guardiola, speaking to BBC Sport after the match, acknowledged the challenge, saying, "Newcastle is a top side, top players, top manager so unfortunately tonight we could not make the momentum that we had." Both teams now turn their attention to European fixtures, with City hosting Bayer Leverkusen and Newcastle travelling to face Marseille.
