It feels like a long time ago that Kyle Walker was talking about Manchester City's ambition to blow their Premier League rivals away as early as possible. That looks more likely now than it did a month ago, even if there is still a long way to go in the season. Six straight victories had everything looking rosy, but consecutive defeats for Pep Guardiola's side have encouraged Arsenal and others that the champions are not invincible. City have started well enough to suggest they can challenge for the biggest honours again, with recent defeats not helped by the unavailability of key players. However, the messages from both the manager and his players indicate that they know complacency is a real concern as they actively look for ways to stop it.

Source: Express October 10, 2023 14:49 UTC