Manchester City’s losing streak puts Maresca under the spotlight

Manchester City head into the international break with an unfamiliar problem: momentum has disappeared. After opening the campaign with seven straight victories, City have now suffered three defeats on the bounce, a downturn severe enough to place Enzo Maresca under immediate scrutiny.

The latest setback, a defeat to Nottingham Forest on Saturday, appeared to leave the manager frustrated more than stunned. Maresca’s view was that each loss arrived in a different way, suggesting there is no single obvious weakness to correct. That may be true in one sense, but it also points to a broader concern: when setbacks come in varying forms, the issue can run deeper than a simple tactical tweak.

From perfect start to sudden fragility

City’s early-season winning run created the impression of a side quickly absorbing Maresca’s ideas. Results were strong, confidence was high and the transition looked smoother than many had predicted. But football seasons rarely move in straight lines, and this sequence has exposed how quickly certainty can vanish.

Three consecutive league defeats are rare territory for a club with City’s standards. In top-flight English football, a team beginning a season with seven straight wins and then losing the next three has reportedly happened only once before, with Sheffield Wednesday in 1904-05. That alone underlines how unusual this collapse in form has been.

What stands out most is not simply that City are losing, but that they no longer look capable of controlling matches with the same authority. Whether the problem is game management, defensive structure or a drop in sharpness, the overall picture is of a team that has become easier to disrupt.

Why the international break matters

The pause in domestic football may come at exactly the right time. Managers often talk about using a break to regroup, but in City’s case it feels especially important. Maresca now has an opportunity to assess whether the recent slide is the result of opponents adapting to his approach, players falling below their usual level, or a combination of both.

There is also a psychological aspect. Winning runs can create a cushion that hides flaws; losing runs tend to drag every weakness into the open. The challenge for City is to ensure this becomes a correction point rather than the start of a more prolonged wobble.

More than a tactical problem?

Maresca suggested the three defeats differed in character, and that may be accurate. Still, when a team stops finding solutions across multiple types of game, questions naturally extend beyond shape and selection. Are players reacting well under pressure? Is the side becoming too predictable in possession? Are moments going against them because their margins have narrowed?

Those are the issues City must confront before the schedule resumes. The early run proved they have quality and structure; the latest run has shown those strengths are not enough on their own. For Maresca, the next few weeks are about more than halting a skid. They are about proving this team can respond when the season becomes uncomfortable.

If City return sharper and more balanced, this difficult spell may be remembered as a timely warning. If not, what looked like a convincing start could quickly be redefined as a brief burst before the real problems surfaced.