5 teams that have done a league double over Pep Guardiola's Manchester City
Pep Guardiola is currently one of the top managers in football and arguably one of the greatest managers of all time. The 52-year-old has achieved multiple successes since becoming manager of Manchester City in 2017.
He has led the club to win five league titles (three of which he won consecutively). Under his tutelage, the Cityzens have also won four League Cup titles, two FA Cups and have gotten to the finals of the UEFA Champions League twice. He is also on the verge of winning a historic treble this season. City have clinched the league and FA Cup and are in the Champions League final.
Asides from bringing lots of success to the club, Guardiola has also made the Manchester club a force to reckon with domestically and in Europe. His technical and tactical know-how has made it difficult for other clubs in the Premier League to get the better of his side.
Since joining Manchester City in 2016, only five clubs have been able to hand the Spanish manager a home and away defeat in the Premier League. Without further ado, let's look at the five teams that have successfully completed a league double over Pep.
#5 Chelsea - 2016-17
The 2016-17 camaign was Guardiola's first season in the Premier League. He proved his quality as one of the best managers in the game, leading Manchester City to a third-place finish in his debut season.
The club suffered six league defeats that term, which includes a home and away loss to eventual league winners Chelsea. The Blues overvame the Cityzens 3-1 at the Etihad and 2-1 at Stamford Bridge.
In the Etihad-based fixture, Chelsea put up a second-half comeback via Diego Costa, Willian and Eden Hazard to overturn a Gary Cahill own goal from the first half. At Stamford Bridge, Eden Hazard bagged a brace as the west London club registered another victory against Guardiola's team.
#4 Wolverhampton Wanderers - 2019-20
Wolverhampton Wanderers were the first non-big six side to carry out a league double over Guardiola's Manchester City. Spain international Adama Traore bagged a brace in the last 10 minutes of the game as Wolves won 2-0 at the Etihad.
The reverse fixture at the Molinuex was more dramatic. Raheem Sterling netted a brace to give City a 2-0 lead, however, the home team rallied back for a 3-2 victory via goals from Adama Traore, Raul Jimenez, and Matt Doherty.
City recorded nine losses that season, their worst loss tally in a single season since the Guardiola era.
#3 Manchester United - 2019-20
Manchester United and Manchester City are the two biggest and most successful clubs in the city of Manchester. Both sides meet at least twice in the league each season along with other cup competitions.
The Manchester derby is one of the most anticipated fixtures in the Premier League and in the 2019-20 season, United secured a double over their fiercest rivals.
The Red Devils won 2-1 at the Etihad in December 2019 and 2-0 at Old Trafford in March 2020. French striker Anthony Martial got a goal in both encounters as United completed a league double over their rivals for the first time since the 2009-10 campaign.
#2 Tottenham Hotspur - 2021-22
The north London club is one club that the Pep Guardiola has found it difficult to easily outclass in recent years. Manchester City has failed to score a goal in their last four visits to Spurs' home ground.
In the 2021-22 season, Guardiola began the Premier League campaign with a 1-0 loss at the hands of Tottenham at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. A lone goal from Heung-Min Son inflicted the first defeat of the season on the seven-time Premier League winners.
Spurs also grabbed maximum points in the return fixture, despatching the Manchester club 2-3 at the Etihad. In a thrilling encounter, Spurs took the lead in the fourth minute with City equalising in the 33rd via Ilkay Gundogan. Harry Kane gave Spurs the lead again in the 59th, only to see it wiped out in the second minute of stoppage time via Riyad Mahrez.
However, Spurs were not in the mood to give up just yet and Kane incredibly scored the winner in fifth minute of stoppage time to break Sky Blue hearts.
#1 Brentford - 2022-23
Brentford are the most recent side to beat Pep Guardiola home and away in a single season. The Bees recorded their first victory in 34 years over the Cityzens when both sides squared off at the Etihad in November 2022.
Despite controlling a larger chunk of the possession, the London club secured a shocking 2-1 victory over their counterpart courtesy of a brace from striker Ivan Toney. The English striker opened the scoring 16 minutes into the game, but City restored parity just before halftime through Phil Fioden.
However, it was the away side who would go on to have the last laugh after a stoppage-time goal from Toney. Thomas Frank's side then completed the double over City after a 1-0 win on the final day of the season.
They finished the season in ninth position with 59 points, just two points below Aston Villa who secured the Europa Conference League spot.