Manchester City’s 2024/25 season reached new lows in recent days.
Pep Guardiola’s side damaged their chances of qualifying for next season’s Champions League with a costly draw against the Premier League’s bottom club, Southampton, before losing in the FA Cup final to Crystal Palace a week later, which was City’s last chance to win a trophy this term.
Ruben Dias expressed his frustration after the Southampton contest, while Alan Shearer questioned the mentality of Erling Haaland after failing to step up to take City’s penalty in the FA Cup final.
Many are starting to wonder what is happening in the Man City dressing room, and one of the Manchester club’s former stars, Danny Mills, suggests he knows what may be going on behind the scenes.
Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images
Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images
Danny Mills thinks Man City players are now questioning Pep Guardiola
Since arriving in Manchester in 2016, nobody has questioned Guardiola at Man City as the legendary coach has delivered the Premier League side every trophy possible, and some of them were achieved dominantly.
However, for the first time, Mills thinks the City dressing room has now begun to question Guardiola’s methods, which would have stemmed from all the games they have lost this season.
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“You know, Ali, you know, you played in a Rangers side that won goodness knows how many titles. Time after time. Players are very, very fickle. The moment you start to lose games, suddenly people start questioning the manager,” Mills said on talkSPORT.
“You can run those players into the ground, they will run through brick walls for you time and time again, as long as you are winning football matches, the moment you lose two in a row, you know, when you’re not used to doing that, suddenly players become very, very selfish and start going, does this really work?
“You know, do we really need to be running around like this? Because it’s not working anymore. And then suddenly, they lost, what, five, six, seven, and all of a sudden, they are in big trouble.”
Ally McCoist has previously stated that Jack Grealish must leave Man City this summer after the way he has been used this season, and Mills also believes the way the winger has been treated will have an impact on the way Guardiola is viewed, as the 29-year-old is a popular figure in the dressing room.
Danny Mills feels sorry for Jack Grealish
Grealish is believed to be happy at Man City despite the lack of minutes he has received this season from Guardiola, as it is clear that the winger no longer features in the Spaniard’s plans.
Mills can’t see what the Englishman has done wrong at Man City and has admitted that he even feels sorry for the former Aston Villa star.
“I can’t imagine what Jack has done, he didn’t come on in the cup final last year when they were 2-1 down, didn’t even get sent out to warm up in this cup final,” the pundit said on talkSPORT.
“I feel a bit for Jack, you know he’s a great player, he’s a good player, but he’s not even getting a chance, he’s not even getting the opportunity.
“I think he sort of almost didn’t want to be involved in the non-celebrations, if you like, and I don’t blame him. Why take him all that way to Wembley? He’s a senior player, England international, why take him all that way to throw a 19-year-old kid on that’s never played, I don’t get that that’s a huge slap in the face.”
Photo by Robin Jones/Getty Images
Photo by Robin Jones/Getty Images
With the 2026 World Cup on the horizon, Grealish must play football next season if he is to be selected for the England squad; however, it remains to be seen if he leaves Man City.
The last few weeks may have encouraged him more to move away from Manchester, and should he decide that is the route he wants to go down, there will be plenty of clubs ready to move for the winger.