MANCHESTER, England — Manchester City, the reigning champions, faced significant challenges during their Premier League matchup against Tottenham on Saturday, struggling after conceding two quick goals within the first 20 minutes of the game.

The match took place at the Etihad Stadium, where City entered with the weight of a four-game losing streak, which put additional pressure on the team. James Maddison of Tottenham was instrumental, netting both goals within the 13th and 20th minutes, sending City into a worrying deficit early on.

Manager Pep Guardiola, who has enjoyed considerable success in his coaching career with renowned clubs such as Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and Manchester City, had not previously experienced a run of four consecutive losses. This disheartening series of results marked a low point for the team, which is usually known for its competitive edge.

Prior to this match, City was trailing five points behind the league leaders, Liverpool, who were set to face Southampton, the team at the bottom of the table, on Sunday. The stakes were particularly high for City as this game also came shortly after the club announced Guardiola’s contract extension for another two years, raising expectations around his leadership during this challenging phase.

As the match progressed, the team needed to regroup quickly if they hoped to turn the tide in their favor and recover from their current position in the league standings.