City made an unexpected start to the Premier League season, losing their second and third matches against Tottenham and Brighton, before getting back on track with a 3-0 win in the Manchester derby.
A 1–1 draw with Arsenal in round four was followed by victories over Burnley, Brentford and Everton, only for Villa to inflict another defeat.
They then alternated between impressive wins over Bournemouth and Liverpool and a surprise defeat to Newcastle.
The Citizens then went four league games without a win at the start of 2026.
Draws against Sunderland, Chelsea and Brighton were followed by a defeat to neighbours United, before a 2-0 win over Wolverhampton and a 2-2 draw with Tottenham.
Further dropped points against Nottingham Forest and West Ham meant a costly four-point haul from those two fixtures.
Despite these stumbles, Guardiola’s side regrouped at a crucial time and remain in the hunt for the Premier League title.