Exclusive: Robbie Savage makes Manchester City treble claim as Premier League champs endure blip
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola
Manchester City are not far away from where they were last season and are still firm title favourites according to former Premier League midfielder Robbie Savage.
The defending league champions were held to a 3-3 draw against Tottenham at the weekend – a result which extended their winless run in the Premier League to three straight games.
Their run of three consecutive draws have seen Pep Guardiola’s side surrender their league leader’s status to Arsenal who are now three points clear.
“I think Manchester City’s three-game winless run in the league is just a blip,” Savage told Planet Sport.
“If you look at where they were after 14 games last season, they’re five points behind that, and they’ve scored eight fewer goals.
“But the big one for me is goals conceded. They’ve conceded 16 this season, and last season they’d only conceded 14 at this stage, so defensively they are there or thereabouts.
“The differences are not massive but the main worry is goals scored – eight fewer.”
City have looked especially vulnerable in defence in recent games, conceding 10 goals across their last four matches but that could simply be down to the quality of opposition they have faced in Tottenham, RB Leipzig, Liverpool and Chelsea.
According to Savage, City’s problems could be solved by the return of their injured superstar midfielder Kevin De Bruyne.
He said: “The biggest factor is that Kevin De Bruyne isn’t in the team currently. His creativity and the amount of assists he gets means that he is a great miss for City.
“I think scoring eight fewer goals this season can be put down to the fact that he hasn’t been playing because of his injury.”
The Belgium international is currently on the sidelines with a thigh injury but is expected to return after the New Year. Savage expects De Bruyne to bolster City’s stuttering goal machine as they look to bag their sixth title in seven seasons.
Moreover, the ex-Wales international believes the Cityzens could challenge for another Treble.
“I still have no doubt that City will win the Premier League and that this patch of form is just a blip,” added the former Leicester, Birmingham and Derby County midfielder.
“De Bruyne’s creativity has been missed and that is why they are scoring fewer goals.
“In the other stats they have only conceded two more goals yet they’re still playing that expansive style of football. Their second goal against Spurs on Sunday was absolutely beautiful.
“This form is just a blip and they will be absolutely fine. It will not surprise me if they go on to win the Treble once again this season.”
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