EPL: Man City spend US$500m in a year but flaws remain

MANCHESTER, England (AP):

Manchester City has spent more than US$500 million over the past 12 months to overhaul an ageing squad in a bid to regain the team's status as the best in England.

On current evidence, it won't be a quick fix.

A 2-0 derby loss at Manchester United last Saturday was followed by a surprising 3-1 defeat at Bodo/Glimt in the Champions League on Tuesday. Both matches exposed the deficiencies in City's squad despite the club's remarkable spending spree that has continued in January with the arrival of Antoine Semenyo and Marc Guehi.

Sure, injuries aren't helping. Pep Guardiola has, for example, been robbed of his entire first-choice defence, with centre backs Ruben Dias, Josko Gvardiol and John Stones currently injured.

Yet, there are still flaws.

There's still no real backup to striker Erling Haaland, who might be showing the effects of barely missing a game. He has scored one goal in his last eight matches -- and that was a penalty.

Despite all the arrivals, City have not signed a right back to replace Kyle Walker so have been relying on midfielder Matheus Nunes to fill in there. Nunes has done a good job -- he is one of City's most improved players -- but is unlikely to be the long-term solution.

Guardiola's decision to play virtually the same team for the final weeks of 2025 also highlighted his lack of faith in his back-ups, some of whom -- like Omar Marmoush and Rayan Ait-Nouri, for example -- were bought as part of the expensive rebuild.

It all means City's home match against a last-place Wolverhampton team with just one win all season in the Premier League is no longer a gimme. While City have won just two of their last seven matches in all competitions, Wolves are improving and unbeaten in their last five matches.

City start the league's 23rd round of games in second place and seven points behind Arsenal, which -- in drawing their last two league games against Liverpool and Nottingham Forest -- have failed to take full advantage of City's recent issues.

KEY MATCH-UPS

On Sunday, Arsenal host Manchester United, who will look to back up its impressive performance against City and are again likely to play on the counterattack at Emirates Stadium.

Third-place Aston Villa, who are level on points with Man City, travel to Newcastle.

Liverpool are seven points behind City and Villa in fourth place ahead of a trip to Bournemouth.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Because of Man City's defensive crisis, Marc Guehi is set to be selected for his debut against Wolves. Max Alleyne, a 20-year-old centre back brought back from a loan spell at second-tier Watford, should make way.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta must decide who to play up front out of fit-again Gabriel Jesus and summer signing Viktor Gyokeres, who has been the starting striker so far this season, against United. Both scored in the Champions League win over Inter Milan on Tuesday.