Neville declares Man City are ‘in DECLINE’ after humiliating defeat by Spurs

Gary Neville has let go of Manchester City after they lost their fifth game in a row against Tottenham on Saturday.

City were humiliated at home as they lost 4-0 to Ange Postecolgou's side, with James Maddison scoring a brace and Pedro Porro and Brennan Johnson also scoring in the defeat.

It was City's fifth straight defeat in all competitions, including three games in the Premier League, and the gap to Liverpool could widen to eight points on Sunday ahead of a trip to Anfield next weekend.

The champions are struggling with injury problems, with Ballon d'Or winner Rodri out for the rest of the season and his substitute Mateo Kovacic also out for a month due to injury.

But the problems appear to run deeper, with City looking a shadow of their former selves on Saturday and showing no sign of the rut ending anytime soon.

And Neville delivered a scathing assessment of the champions' current situation on Sky Sports, suggesting it is virtually the worst they have ever faced under Pep Guardiola.

“We've seen City lose the odd game here but we've rarely seen them outplayed in any department, but that's what we're looking at,” the pundit said. 'They look nice and short. As short as I've seen them since Pep's first season.

I haven't seen them as bad as this, as they have been the last few weeks. He must have wanted that international breakthrough to come, thinking that it would be a reset moment. But now here the view is further entrenched that this is a city side that is currently in decline.

'It seems crazy when you think about what they have achieved. They are easy to play against and teams are encouraged to play them. The vulnerabilities are clear to everyone.'

Fans have been quick to point out Rodri's absence, with City's losing percentage sitting below three percent when he plays since February 2023, and now above 35 percent when he doesn't.

But he won't be back anytime soon and the back-up options of Ilkay Gundogan and Rico Lewis in midfield struggled to perform against Spurs.

Gundogan came under fire for his efforts in Jamie Redknapp's opening goal, but there is a full fixture in the pipeline and City need a solution to their midfield woes.

However, the problems run much deeper, Neville insists, and it may not be a quick fix for City to reach the heights they previously stood at.

“This is more than just Rodri, much more,” he said. “When you're in decline – and I don't like to use the word decay, but it feels like it – it's a group of players with some things [going wrong].

“The idea of ​​growing old together, the idea of ​​the amount of games you play together, the physical and mental demands that that brings, and the third thing is how often you can continue.

'It's a group of players who have walked a million miles. They were sensational. But they've gotten a little drunk. Long-legged, lacking energy, they have lost players and some crucial players to injury.

'It's a big game next week, Liverpool against City, and there's only a few points in it, there's still a long way to go, but it feels like if Man City were to win the title this season, I think it would are. Pep's biggest Premier League.'