by Crises always require context. Almost 41 years to the day, Manchester City’s 3-1 defeat at Luton Town summed up much of their season. Luton survived in the old First Division, City did not.
No visit to Kenilworth Road is complete without a glance back through history, so this rickety venue has nothing to do with the excesses and trappings of modern football. City remained in Division Two until 1985. Their subsequent ups and downs as a club pale in comparison to Luton’s rise from near oblivion to the top flight, but City once knew what it was like it was to be relevant. Over the years, agendas have also been made.
Related: Manchester City’s quick double seals victory over Luton
The attendance on that Christmas evening in 1982 was remarkably similar to this one in 2023; 11,013 against 11,047. City came under pressure, their unbeaten streak in the league stretching to four games, the longest under Pep Guardiola. This lent credence to the kind of exciting title race that Guardiola could have done without him. He is a man on a mission, as he showed in his team speech 45 seconds after City took the rare step of traveling to Bedfordshire on matchday. Guardiola had never gone five without a win in his entire coaching career. As is still the case.
Guardiola was delighted with how long City may or may not have to deal without talisman Erling Haaland. The scoring burden that Norway carries on behalf of others means that any extended break will be keenly felt. The opposition defenders tremble at the sight of Haaland. He also plays almost always. Luton’s approach was a side that felt City’s vulnerability, partly through that Haaland factor and partly because of their visitors’ (relatively) troubled run. “He’s one of the best strikers in the world, isn’t he,” said Luton manager Rob Edwards. “So without him they’re probably a different team giving them a different challenge.” Not that anyone should cry Pep. The resources at his disposal are affecting what Edwards – and much of this series – can use.
At half-time, Elijah Adebayo had stepped up and Guardiola was hiding. The visiting manager complained bitterly to the fourth official, Craig Pawson, on the way to the dressing room. Guardiola believed that more than the two minutes of stoppage time should have been allocated because Luton scored within that window. It felt like a trivial argument. However, and even for one so regularly excited, Guardiola’s recovery was telling. He was afraid of the ghosts of past games.
Except for Phil Foden’s bobbing and weaving, City lacked conviction in that opening period. Foden’s shot inside 90 seconds, beaten by the impressive Thomas Kaminski, was about as threatening as City got. Beautiful patterns were undermined by a protective event. Walsall striker Adebayo pounced on Andros Townsend’s cross to send the Luton supporters into dreamland again. Once he was done with officialdom, it was Guardiola’s job to ensure that desperation did not creep into his team’s play.
Bernardo Silva’s stunning strike got City back into action. Jack Grealish, who usually made fun of cheating, managed to get City back. The result was far more important than performance. With a favorable run of games to come, those three minutes could breathe precious life into City’s title defence.
Related: Pep Guardiola plays down long-term fears about Erling Haaland’s fitness
Crisis? What a crisis, Grealish shrugged. “We have the best manager in the world,” he said. “We’ve played some great teams. We lost one and drew three. It’s not the end of the world, people like to pretend it is sometimes.” Grealish will feel justified in exaggerating. However, City’s problem is the momentum carried by Liverpool, especially Arsenal until they lost to Aston Villa and Unai Emery’s impressive team themselves. It has been well said that City are capable of producing spellbinding runs. What they cannot control is the strength of the title opposition.
Curiously, the Luton supporters were quiet between Grealish’s goal and the announcement of six extra minutes. The raucous atmosphere at Kenilworth Road could be a huge advantage for Edwards and his team but they need unconditional support. Good knows they deserve it. By the end of the game, Edwards indicated that his players were “hurt”. They have to channel that feeling; The upcoming clashes with Bournemouth and Sheffield United are more relevant for survival in the Premier League.
-
Download the Guardian app from the iOS App Store on iPhone or the Google Play store on Android by searching for ‘The Guardian’.
-
If you already have the Guardian app, make sure you’re on the latest version.
-
In the Guardian app, tap the Menu button at the bottom right, then go to Settings (the gear icon), then Notifications.
-
Turn on sports ads.
A few corners offered hope of salvation but City managed to keep Luton at arm’s length. The tiny pocket of supporters in the Oak Stand celebrated in a way that affected the gulf off the pitch between the clubs. Guardiola was in deep conversation with Grealish. The message? How important it is to win.
Asa Hartford ended City’s ignorance here in 1982 with a late own goal. This was no occasion for red faces. City may look back on this as a crucial day’s work. They stay very much in the hunt.
