Manchester City walked off the pitch in Norway with their heads down, their confidence shaken, and their season suddenly feeling heavy on their shoulders. The 3-1 defeat to Bodo/Glimt in the Champions League was not just another bad night in Europe. It was a moment that exposed how fragile City have become, how thin their squad now looks, and how many questions Pep Guardiola must answer in a very short space of time. For a team that once looked unstoppable, the fall has been sudden and painful, and the problems are now impossible to hide.
Before the match, there was already a feeling of worry around the club. Injuries had begun to pile up, and Guardiola was forced to travel to Norway with a squad that looked nothing like his strongest group. Still, few expected a performance so flat, so lacking in control, and so far below the standards City have set for themselves over the past decade. Bodo/Glimt were hungry, brave, organised, and ruthless, while City looked tired, confused, and strangely vulnerable every time the ball came near their box.
After the final whistle, Guardiola spoke with honesty and frustration. He did not hide the truth. He admitted that “everything is going wrong” and made it clear that the club is now waiting for injured players to return. That sentence alone says everything about where City are right now. This is a team surviving, not dominating. A team hoping, not imposing. And the waiting game Guardiola talked about could last much longer than many fans would like.
The injury list is long and worrying. Josko Gvardiol is unlikely to play again this season, a huge blow considering how important he has been. Ruben Dias is not expected back until February, leaving the defence without its leader. Mateo Kovacic and Savinho are both sidelined for months, taking energy, balance, and creativity out of midfield and attack. John Stones and Oscar Bobb remain question marks, with no clear return dates, and nobody at the club seems able to say when or even if they will be ready again. Nico Gonzalez and Matheus Nunes are also doubts, adding more uncertainty ahead of the Wolves game.
This situation leaves Guardiola with very few options. Rotation is no longer a luxury, it is a risk. Players who are tired or out of form must still play because there is simply nobody else. The idea of changing half the team after such a poor performance is unrealistic. Instead, Guardiola must choose carefully, making small but meaningful changes, hoping that fresh faces can bring new energy without breaking what little stability remains.
One thing is clear from the defeat in Norway. Some players did themselves no favours at all. The performance was so poor that only two starters can say they came out with any credit. Gianluigi Donnarumma was exposed again and again by the defending in front of him, but he could do very little about the goals he conceded. Abdukodir Khusanov, thrown into a difficult situation, showed bravery and fight, and was arguably City’s best defender on the night. Beyond those two, it is hard to defend anyone else.
Even the biggest names struggled badly. Rodri, the Ballon d’Or winner and normally the heartbeat of this team, looked off the pace. Phil Foden, last season’s Player of the Year, was quiet and ineffective. Erling Haaland, the goal machine who usually feeds on chaos, looked frustrated, isolated, and short of confidence. When your best players fail together, it is never a good sign.
Because of this, the Wolves game suddenly feels like a turning point. Not just another Premier League match, but a test of character. A chance for Guardiola to send messages, to reward players who deserve it, and to challenge those who have not been good enough. The Champions League defeat has, in many ways, confirmed at least five starters for the Wolves game, not because they were brilliant in Norway, but because they either did not play or now feel impossible to drop.
Marc Guehi is one of them. Signed to add calm and authority to the defence, he will almost certainly come straight into the team. Max Alleyne has struggled, and while his effort cannot be questioned, the pressure has clearly been too much. Guehi offers experience, composure, and leadership, qualities City badly need right now.
Antoine Semenyo is another player whose situation has improved without him even stepping on the pitch in Norway. By not travelling, he avoided being part of the disaster, and sometimes that alone is enough to change a manager’s thinking. Semenyo brings directness, power, and hunger, and after watching City’s lifeless attack against Bodo/Glimt, it is hard to imagine Guardiola leaving him out again.
Bernardo Silva is likely to return too. Even though opinion about him is divided, his absence was felt. He presses, he runs, he demands the ball, and he sets standards. On a night when City lacked intensity and leadership, Bernardo’s qualities were badly missed. As captain, he knows what is expected, and Guardiola trusts him when things fall apart.
These three changes alone could give City something they lacked in Norway: urgency, control, and personality. But beyond that, the options are limited. Guardiola cannot make ten changes even if he wants to. That is why the Wolves game is not just about tactics, it is about responsibility. Players who were poor must respond. There is nowhere to hide now.
The strange thing is that just a month ago, City looked settled. The team almost picked itself. Injuries were manageable, form was stable, and there was a sense that City were building towards another strong finish to the season. That feeling has completely disappeared. Now, suddenly, almost every position feels open, uncertain, and fragile. Confidence has drained away quickly.
Guardiola has always spoken about momentum in football. How quickly things can change. How success and failure are often separated by tiny details. Right now, every detail seems to be going against City. Deflections, injuries, loss of form, and mental fatigue have all arrived at once. It is a perfect storm, and Guardiola must steer his team through it.
The Wolves match will not fix everything. One good performance will not erase weeks of struggle. But it can change the mood. It can restore belief. It can remind players and fans that this team is still capable of fighting. The Champions League defeat was embarrassing, painful, and damaging, but it does not have to define the season unless City allow it to.
Much will depend on how the big names respond. Haaland must find his sharpness again. Foden must demand the ball and make things happen. Rodri must regain control of midfield. Leadership is not about talking after defeats, it is about acting in the next game. Guardiola knows this, and he will expect a reaction.
At the same time, patience will be required. Waiting for injured players is not a choice, it is a reality. City cannot rush people back. Doing so would only create more problems later. The squad must survive until reinforcements return, and that survival will be built on effort, discipline, and belief.
The defeat to Bodo/Glimt has changed the conversation around Manchester City. Questions that once felt impossible are now being asked openly. Are they too stretched? Have they lost their edge? Is this the start of a decline, or just a difficult phase? Only time will answer those questions.
For now, all eyes turn to Wolves. Five starters are almost certain. A response is needed. Pride is on the line. Guardiola’s words about everything going wrong were honest, but they were also a challenge. Football can turn quickly, but only if players decide to turn it themselves. The next chapter of City’s season begins now, and it will reveal just how strong this group really is.
