The Manchester City machine is sputtering, and Pep Guardiola admits his side has a "mental block" after the break.

Pep Guardiola, the mastermind of Manchester City’s decade of dominance, finds himself grappling with a rare and perplexing flaw: his team has forgotten how to finish games. Following a frustrating 2-2 draw with Tottenham—where City surrendered a commanding two-goal lead—the Catalan manager has publicly acknowledged that his side is suffering from a "second-half syndrome" that threatens to derail their title defense.

The Psychology of Collapse

"It is the reality," Guardiola confessed to reporters. "In the second half, we drop what we got in the first." The statistics are damning. In 2026, City has failed to score in the second half of six Premier League games. This lethargy is not just tactical; it is psychological. The relentless intensity that defined the treble-winning side seems to evaporate after the halftime whistle, leaving them vulnerable to counter-punches.

Guardiola pointed to the squad's changing profile as a potential cause. "Maybe it is a young team, younger than 10 years ago. We have to grow," he mused. The loss of experienced heads and the reliance on younger talents like Rico Lewis and Oscar Bobb has brought energy but perhaps reduced the game-management savvy needed to kill off matches.

• The Arsenal Threat: This fragility comes at the worst possible time. Arsenal, looking imperious, are capitalizing on every City slip-up. The gap at the top is widening, and City can no longer afford to drop points from winning positions.
• Injury Woes: The absence of defensive pillars like Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol has also played a role. Without their leadership at the back, the team lacks the composure to weather second-half storms.

Tactical Evolution Required

For Guardiola, the solution is not just about shouting in the dressing room; it is about tactical evolution. Analysts suggest City needs to revert to better control in midfield, slowing the game down when leading rather than engaging in end-to-end chaos. The upcoming fixtures are make-or-break.

City has been here before, written off in winter only to surge in spring. But this slump feels different. It is self-inflicted. If Guardiola cannot find the "software patch" for this second-half glitch, the Premier League trophy may well be heading to North London. The genius manager is under pressure to pull one more rabbit out of the hat.