Betting Tips
How Much Longer For Pep Guardiola at the Highest Level?
by Chike Nwoye
30 Dec 2024
How long till the decision makers say “enough is enough”?
In September 1996, Arsenal made a bold and unexpected move by hiring Arsène Wenger instead of the legendary Johan Cruyff, who was the favorite for the role.
The decision raised plenty of eyebrows but quickly proved to be a masterstroke. Wenger guided Arsenal to a league and FA Cup double in the 1997/98 season, kicking off an intense rivalry with Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United.
Wenger would claim two more Premier League titles, including the iconic 2003/04 campaign where Arsenal went the entire season unbeaten, earning their place among English football’s all-time greats.
However, after the Invincibles era, success became elusive. Arsenal’s move from Highbury to the Emirates Stadium—fondly called “The House That Wenger Built” by some fans—didn’t stop the decline, nor did three FA Cup triumphs between 2014 and 2017. By 2018, growing frustration among supporters saw Wenger “step down”, ending his 22-year reign on a very sour note. Enough was enough.
Ironically, it was his old rival, Sir Alex Ferguson, who gave him a heartfelt farewell during Wenger’s final visit to Old Trafford.
Arsenal letting go of Arsène Wenger wasn’t exactly a rare move in English football, with lots of EPL past winners being shown the door for poor results.
Back in 2012, Liverpool fired Sir Kenny Dalglish, a man who delivered over 20 titles as both player and manager for the club. José Mourinho, the architect of Chelsea’s dominance in modern football, was fired not once, but twice, despite bagging eight trophies during his time at Stamford Bridge.
Then there’s my favorite example: Brian Clough, one of football’s most fascinating figures. He took over Nottingham Forest when they were struggling in 16th place in the second tier, guided them to promotion, and achieved the unimaginable—winning 8 major trophies, including back-to-back European Cups in 1979 and 1980. But when the magic wore off, and the team declined, Forest stuck by their legend.
It ended disastrously, as the club was relegated in 1993—a harsh lesson in the risks of clinging to past glory.
One win across 13 games is enough to get mere mortals fired. Even football greats like the aforementioned José Mourinho, who has been sacked 5 times in his legendary career, has been shown the door for less. And yet, underneath the dark clouds at the Etihad Stadium, Pep Guardiola’s job remains safe.
In fact, he signed a contract extension right in the middle of this dreadful run, losing four straight games before inking the deal. As he put it, “Now was not the time to leave,” briefly silencing questions about his future. But since then, it’s only gone downhill.
Guardiola “celebrated” his extension with a brutal 4-0 loss to Spurs at home the next day, followed by blowing a three-goal lead against Feyenoord in the Champions League.
What’s come after? Four more losses, two draws, and just one win, leaving the defending champions in a baffling 7th place. E be like say him village people no just like am again. They’re now 14 points off league leaders Liverpool—and just as far from the relegation zone.
Manchester City, once a go-to favorite for the online betting community with their sure odds—especially for home win predictions—has suddenly turned into a team bettors are steering clear of. It’s a shocking nosedive that defies explanation.
Many have pinned Manchester City’s struggles on the absence of Rodri—the brains of the team—and they’re not wrong. He’s literally the best player in the world, fresh off his Ballon d’Or win, and losing a player of that caliber would disrupt any squad. But come on, it shouldn’t be “1 win in 13” bad.
The unexpected departure of Julián Álvarez hasn’t helped either, and the lack of a replacement raises serious questions.
The Argentine forward, who bagged 36 goals and 18 assists during his two years at City, was a dependable backup for Erling Haaland. Now, with Alvarez gone, all the scoring pressure falls on Haaland, and it’s clearly weighing on him.
Phil Foden and the other attackers have been shy in front of goal, leaving left-back Joško Gvardiol as their second-most reliable scorer—a mystery bigger than how the pyramids were built.
During this 13-game stretch, City has managed just 15 goals. This season, they’re averaging 1.67 goals per game—a huge drop-off. For context, during their record-breaking four-year streak of consecutive league titles, their averages were 2.18, 2.61, 2.53, and 2.47 goals per game. Our betting tip for the rest of the season? Avoid of betting on Manchester City to score Over 1.5 goals.
They’ve only hit that mark three times in their last 13 games, and with fixtures against PSG, Chelsea, Arsenal, Newcastle, Liverpool, and Spurs coming up between January and February, this one’s a no-brainer—dem no dey tell person twice.
Another hot betting trend? Backing Manchester City to concede. Their defense has been leakier than a hair net, and neither Ederson nor Stefan Ortega has been able to plug the gaps.
City has managed just one clean sheet in their last 13 games, and across the entire season, they’ve kept only six in 26 matches. It’s a trend worth riding while it lasts.
So, how much longer before the Manchester City board cuts ties with Guardiola? Obviously, he is still an excellent manager. At 53 years old, he’s not done being elite.
Not even close. However, this is a tricky situation. For starters, he just signed a contract extension last month, showing the board’s trust in him—firing him now would be both costly and a bad look.
Then there’s the looming “115 Charges” case hanging over the club. Interestingly, City officials have gone quiet lately, shifting from a defiant defense of their innocence to radio silence, which has fueled speculation of a heavy penalty coming their way.
If the punishment is as severe as some think, wouldn’t you want arguably the greatest manager of all time to steer the ship through the storm?
Right now, Manchester City’s odds of turning their season around and retaining the Premier League sit at 50.00—the best odds you’ll find anywhere. But let’s be real: calling it a “smart bet” would be a stretch. Maybe it’s worth a small, calculated risk, but with contenders like Liverpool and Arsenal firing on all cylinders, it feels like a long shot.
A smarter play? Betting on them to claw their way back into the top four and secure a Champions League spot for next season.
Historically, they hit their stride in the second half of the season. That might not be enough to reclaim the title this time, but it should be more than enough to land them in the top four.
BetKing, the best betting site in Nigeria, offers you the chance to win big by betting on EPL games. Join us today to get value for money. Try out the best betting app in the market and book a bet today to start your journey towards winning millions.
How long till the decision makers say “enough is enough”?
In September 1996, Arsenal made a bold and unexpected move by hiring Arsène Wenger instead of the legendary Johan Cruyff, who was the favorite for the role.
The decision raised plenty of eyebrows but quickly proved to be a masterstroke. Wenger guided Arsenal to a league and FA Cup double in the 1997/98 season, kicking off an intense rivalry with Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United.
Wenger would claim two more Premier League titles, including the iconic 2003/04 campaign where Arsenal went the entire season unbeaten, earning their place among English football’s all-time greats.
However, after the Invincibles era, success became elusive. Arsenal’s move from Highbury to the Emirates Stadium—fondly called “The House That Wenger Built” by some fans—didn’t stop the decline, nor did three FA Cup triumphs between 2014 and 2017. By 2018, growing frustration among supporters saw Wenger “step down”, ending his 22-year reign on a very sour note. Enough was enough.
Ironically, it was his old rival, Sir Alex Ferguson, who gave him a heartfelt farewell during Wenger’s final visit to Old Trafford.
Arsenal letting go of Arsène Wenger wasn’t exactly a rare move in English football, with lots of EPL past winners being shown the door for poor results.
Back in 2012, Liverpool fired Sir Kenny Dalglish, a man who delivered over 20 titles as both player and manager for the club. José Mourinho, the architect of Chelsea’s dominance in modern football, was fired not once, but twice, despite bagging eight trophies during his time at Stamford Bridge.
Then there’s my favorite example: Brian Clough, one of football’s most fascinating figures. He took over Nottingham Forest when they were struggling in 16th place in the second tier, guided them to promotion, and achieved the unimaginable—winning 8 major trophies, including back-to-back European Cups in 1979 and 1980. But when the magic wore off, and the team declined, Forest stuck by their legend.
It ended disastrously, as the club was relegated in 1993—a harsh lesson in the risks of clinging to past glory.
One win across 13 games is enough to get mere mortals fired. Even football greats like the aforementioned José Mourinho, who has been sacked 5 times in his legendary career, has been shown the door for less. And yet, underneath the dark clouds at the Etihad Stadium, Pep Guardiola’s job remains safe.
In fact, he signed a contract extension right in the middle of this dreadful run, losing four straight games before inking the deal. As he put it, “Now was not the time to leave,” briefly silencing questions about his future. But since then, it’s only gone downhill.
Guardiola “celebrated” his extension with a brutal 4-0 loss to Spurs at home the next day, followed by blowing a three-goal lead against Feyenoord in the Champions League.
What’s come after? Four more losses, two draws, and just one win, leaving the defending champions in a baffling 7th place. E be like say him village people no just like am again. They’re now 14 points off league leaders Liverpool—and just as far from the relegation zone.
Manchester City, once a go-to favorite for the online betting community with their sure odds—especially for home win predictions—has suddenly turned into a team bettors are steering clear of. It’s a shocking nosedive that defies explanation.
Many have pinned Manchester City’s struggles on the absence of Rodri—the brains of the team—and they’re not wrong. He’s literally the best player in the world, fresh off his Ballon d’Or win, and losing a player of that caliber would disrupt any squad. But come on, it shouldn’t be “1 win in 13” bad.
The unexpected departure of Julián Álvarez hasn’t helped either, and the lack of a replacement raises serious questions.
The Argentine forward, who bagged 36 goals and 18 assists during his two years at City, was a dependable backup for Erling Haaland. Now, with Alvarez gone, all the scoring pressure falls on Haaland, and it’s clearly weighing on him.
Phil Foden and the other attackers have been shy in front of goal, leaving left-back Joško Gvardiol as their second-most reliable scorer—a mystery bigger than how the pyramids were built.
During this 13-game stretch, City has managed just 15 goals. This season, they’re averaging 1.67 goals per game—a huge drop-off. For context, during their record-breaking four-year streak of consecutive league titles, their averages were 2.18, 2.61, 2.53, and 2.47 goals per game. Our betting tip for the rest of the season? Avoid of betting on Manchester City to score Over 1.5 goals.
They’ve only hit that mark three times in their last 13 games, and with fixtures against PSG, Chelsea, Arsenal, Newcastle, Liverpool, and Spurs coming up between January and February, this one’s a no-brainer—dem no dey tell person twice.
Another hot betting trend? Backing Manchester City to concede. Their defense has been leakier than a hair net, and neither Ederson nor Stefan Ortega has been able to plug the gaps.
City has managed just one clean sheet in their last 13 games, and across the entire season, they’ve kept only six in 26 matches. It’s a trend worth riding while it lasts.
So, how much longer before the Manchester City board cuts ties with Guardiola? Obviously, he is still an excellent manager. At 53 years old, he’s not done being elite.
Not even close. However, this is a tricky situation. For starters, he just signed a contract extension last month, showing the board’s trust in him—firing him now would be both costly and a bad look.
Then there’s the looming “115 Charges” case hanging over the club. Interestingly, City officials have gone quiet lately, shifting from a defiant defense of their innocence to radio silence, which has fueled speculation of a heavy penalty coming their way.
If the punishment is as severe as some think, wouldn’t you want arguably the greatest manager of all time to steer the ship through the storm?
Right now, Manchester City’s odds of turning their season around and retaining the Premier League sit at 50.00—the best odds you’ll find anywhere. But let’s be real: calling it a “smart bet” would be a stretch. Maybe it’s worth a small, calculated risk, but with contenders like Liverpool and Arsenal firing on all cylinders, it feels like a long shot.
A smarter play? Betting on them to claw their way back into the top four and secure a Champions League spot for next season.
Historically, they hit their stride in the second half of the season. That might not be enough to reclaim the title this time, but it should be more than enough to land them in the top four.
BetKing, the best betting site in Nigeria, offers you the chance to win big by betting on EPL games. Join us today to get value for money. Try out the best betting app in the market and book a bet today to start your journey towards winning millions.