Manchester City could miss out on a top four place (Image: Getty)
Manchester City fans are feeling increasingly pessimistic about their chances of finishing in the top four this season, according to a new Express Sport poll.
The champions ended their eight-match winless run with a 2-0 win at Leicester City on Saturday, with Erling Haaland ending his goal drought.
But Pep Guardiola's men are still far from the top and will start 2025 outside the Champions League qualifying places, with Liverpool leading after 19 games.
Nottingham Forest, Chelsea, Arsenal and Newcastle are all still above City in the table, which may have their supporters worried about their ability to qualify for next season's Champions League.
The top five places are awarded for Europe's premier club competition and their current form suggests it could be difficult for the 2022-23 winners to qualify for next season's competition.
This pessimism appears to be shared by City supporters after an alarming decline in form.
When asked if their team would finish in the top four this season, 55 percent of participants voted “no”, highlighting the lack of confidence in Guardiola's team, which has won the title four times in a row.
Pep Guardiola's side are in terrible form (Image: Getty)
City are just four points behind fourth-placed Chelsea in the table after Enzo Maresca's men's 2-0 defeat to Ipswich Town at Portman Road could give them fresh hope of continuing the race.
Guardiola has already ruled out challenging for the title, with a 14-point gap to closing on leaders Liverpool and just 19 games to get there.
But the Catalan coach, 54, knows his team can bounce back in 2025 after a poor end to the year, especially if key player Rodri returns in the second half of the season.
Erling Haaland scored in 2-0 win over Leicester (Image: Getty)
“I hope the new year can help us bounce back,” Guardiola said. “It's not nice right now, it's just a relief. We've done amazing things for many years. It's not the best.”
Speaking to BBC Match of the Day, he added: “We are a long way from winning the Premier League. We accept that there is already no chance of achieving that, but we have other things to go for. to beat ourselves: the FA Cup, the top four… and winning matches helps.”
However, it seems their fans are certain Manchester will be blue this season, with an overwhelming 87% believing City will finish ahead of Manchester United in the table.
Source: https://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/1994592/Man-City-Champions-League-top-four-finish