Manchester City’s latest setback, a 2–0 defeat away to Bayer Leverkusen, has intensified scrutiny on Pep Guardiola’s squad and the tactical imbalances emerging in a season marked by inconsistency. While much of the conversation has focused on City’s dependence on Erling Haaland, the issues run far deeper, touching on diminished squad depth, a fatigued midfield and defensive uncertainty that elite opponents are exploiting with increasing confidence.

Haaland’s limited involvement in the match highlighted the broader problem. When City were forced into slower build-up phases, the team struggled to create sustained threat. Leverkusen capitalised by compressing space, isolating Haaland, and forcing City to circulate the ball without penetration. The performance underscored how predictable City become when the Norwegian striker is neutralised and when the midfield lacks its usual rhythm.

However, the more significant concerns lie with the supporting structure. Key injuries, accumulated fatigue and thin rotation options have left Guardiola reliant on a core group of players performing at maximum intensity every three days. Leverkusen exploited this vulnerability. Their press broke through City’s midfield with worrying ease, revealing gaps in transitions that City previously managed with machine-like precision.

Defensively, City were exposed in wide areas and were second-best in duels that once defined their control-heavy approach. Leverkusen’s clinical finishing only amplified the sense that City are struggling to maintain their identity against organised, energetic sides.

The loss adds pressure ahead of a demanding stretch of fixtures, with rivals tightening their grip at the top of the Premier League and Champions League expectations remaining high. Guardiola has repeatedly warned that his squad’s margin for error is shrinking, and Monday’s defeat clarified what he meant. This is no longer just about Haaland’s productivity. It is a system-wide strain affecting balance, tempo and psychological sharpness.

City have recovered from mid-season turbulence before, often dramatically so, but the current pattern highlights the need for strategic adjustment. Without renewed depth and midfield stability, their title defence risks slipping further out of reach.