'The writing is on the wall' at Man City - expert

Former scout Bryan King suggests Guardiola foresaw Manchester City's decline before departing, as Maresca's side suffer three consecutive Premier League defeats and face a six-point gap to Arsenal.

Manchester City's season has taken a sharp turn after a strong start. The club won their opening seven Premier League games but have since suffered three consecutive defeats, most recently losing 3-1 to Nottingham Forest on Saturday. They now sit six points behind leaders Arsenal, having been leapfrogged by Brighton.

Former Tottenham, Aston Villa and Everton scout Bryan King believes manager Pep Guardiola may have anticipated this decline before his departure. "I think Guardiola saw the writing on the wall," King told Football Insider, comparing the situation to Sir Alex Ferguson's exit from Manchester United.

King highlighted the difficulty of Enzo Maresca stepping up from assistant to head coach, noting that the Italian inherited a squad that needed revitalisation despite spending over £400 million on new arrivals in the summer.

The situation has been complicated by the Premier League's announcement that City were found guilty of 114 financial breaches, creating uncertainty around the club. Key departures including Rodri, John Stones and Bernardo Silva have also weakened the squad's experience and quality, while Maresca continues to operate in Guardiola's shadow.