Manchester City sit top of the Premier League table with 23 points from nine games after title rivals Arsenal and Liverpool settled for a 2-2 draw at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday evening. But that should not fool anyone. City have not been at their best so far this season.
After a brilliant start to the campaign with four consecutive victories, the team has since been struggling to win league matches. Draws against Arsenal and Newcastle United have been followed by close calls against Fulham and Wolves. The latest 1-0 win against relegation candidates Southampton was anything but straightforward.
Southampton had lost all but one of their first eight Premier League matches of the season. The one exception was the 1-1 draw against fellow relegation candidates Ipswich Town. Normally, when such a poor team turns up at the Etihad Stadium, they get battered. But not this time.
After an early Erling Haaland strike that was supposed to open the floodgates, City struggled to break down an opponent that was not able even to keep a two-goal lead against a Leicester City side also in danger of dropping back to the Championship at the end of the campaign.
The Blues got over the line with a 1-0 win. But just like against Fulham, came close to dropping points in the game. The emergence of Liverpool as a genuine title contender this season means City will need to shape up fast.
The team has been hugely affected by the loss of Rodri to injury for the rest of the season. Oscar Bobb had a strong preseason and was ready to play a key role in the new campaign. Unfortunately, he suffered a serious injury at the beginning of the season and will be out for months.
Kevin De Bruyne has also spent considerable time on the sidelines. Injuries to the likes of Kyle Walker, Jack Grealish and Jeremy Doku have further depleted the squad. The team has been significantly weakened as a result.
This presents Pep Guardiola with a huge challenge. He will need to find a way to stem the tide of injuries affecting his team. City's medical team has been regularly praised in previous seasons for doing a great job of keeping the players fit. The manager may need to depend on them more than ever before for a turnaround in the current situation.
City may be happy to occupy top spot on the league table at the moment. But there's still a long season ahead. Besides, with just a point ahead of Liverpool, things can change quickly. Hence, getting players like Kevin De Bruyne back into the team as soon as possible while helping others like Phil Foden and Erling Haaland stay in form will ensure City stay ahead of the chasing pack.