The psychology of “anxiety” and a “downward spiral” are contributing to Manchester City’s poor form, says sport psychologist Dr John Maythers.
The defending Premier League champions suffered another damaging defeat on Sunday after their late loss to Manchester United, with midfielder Phil Foden saying after the match “it feels like a mental thing”.
Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, Dr Maythers said: “It is fairly straightforward to explain and describe what is happening and it is obviously a little more difficult to try to find a solution.
“There is probably a bit of anxiety now at the results they have had. Any time there is anxiety that tends to bring about a loss in focus in any athlete. When that happens, you are liable to suffer some difficulties in the game itself. When a club is going through this particular moment, there is a drop in expectations and we call it a downward spiral.
“The secret is and the trick is, if you can, to try to redress that spiral by reminding yourself of some of those basic points that will allow you to return to your best form.”
City boss Pep Guardiola said he is “not good enough” and has not yet been able to find the solution to the side’s problems.
“The manager has a key role in that [turning form around], but the players themselves are responsible for their own performance,” added Dr Maythers.
“The quality of Guardiola is clear for everyone to see but there are players there that are experienced players, on big salaries and with a good track record within the game. They should know themselves by now what it takes to get back to a level of performance that they can be happy with and can bring about better results on the field.
“If they were to review their own qualities and remind themselves of some of the things that have happened over the past four or five years, they would have a good chance to just reconnect with what, for them, would be their best chance to deliver.”
