No club has managed to win four consecutive titles in England’s top flight but Manchester City have the chance to achieve the feat in the Premier League this season.

However, after dropping points in the early winter months, manager Pep Guardiola and his side are learning quickly why four on the bounce will be such a difficult landmark to achieve.

City are not as convincing as they once were

A four-game winless in the Premier League is unheard of for Guardiola’s City but that’s just what the reigning European champions did over the course of almost a month in November and December. The Cityzens, who are still 5/6 favourites in the Premier League Betting odds to win the title this season, were held to three draws on the bounce in tricky games against Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur. A home defeat to Aston Villa, who are 16/1 in the Premier League betting tips to finish top of the pile this season, followed before City stopped the rot with a hard-fought 2-1 win at Luton Town.

Going behind to the Hatters at Kenilworth Road was again uncharacteristic for this City side, who managed to win an impressive Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup treble last season. Quickfire goals from Bernardo Silva and Jack Grealish meant City did come away from Luton with a much-needed win, but it was far from convincing against the Premier League newcomers. The fact City have failed to find their rhythm over November and early December will have their rivals dreaming of what could be.

Underestimate City at your peril

While City have had their troubles in the build-up to the festive period, the club have won the Premier League title the last three seasons in a row for a reason. Guardiola’s side has had dips in form in the past and they usually occur in the first half of the campaign. Last season City allowed Arsenal to get eight points ahead, before building up winning momentum themselves and storming to the finish line in May. It would be little surprise to see this star-studded squad do the same again.

Another ace the Cityzens have up their sleeve is that arguably their best player has been sidelined for most of the season so far. City at times have missed their talisman Kevin De Bruyne but the return of the Belgian star in the new year will feel like the best January signing possible. With his ability to dictate the pace of a game and inject moments of world-class quality, De Bruyne’s return should see City go up a few gears in the early months of 2024.

The likes of Liverpool, Arsenal, Tottenham and even surprise package Villa will be harbouring hopes City’s struggles continue over the coming months. A fourth consecutive top-flight title would be an unprecedented achievement for Manchester City and their rivals are going to make sure the Cityzens will have to work for it if they are to break new ground.

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