After 2024-25 nightmare, Man City can prove spooky season is truly over vs. Liverpool

"At the Halloween party organized for Manchester City's players and their families two days before facing Bournemouth last Sunday, one of the props used to decorate the venue was a cinema-style entrance. Inside, the walls were covered with "Wanted" and "Missing" posters featuring pictures of Pep Guardiola's squad. At the front, guests -- including defender Rúben Dias dressed as Jack Sparrow -- were greeted by an old-school theater scene complete with red velvet curtains and a marquee sign."

"Injuries and a significant dip in form made the 2024-25 campaign a certified nightmare for a team that won the previous four Premier League titles. Players and staff are able to poke fun at themselves now, though there is a feeling that City are still trying to show they're fully recovered from the ordeal. Guardiola has so far refused to indulge questions about what his team might be able to achieve this season, and City's start hasn't given much away, either."

"Yet despite their mixed form, City are second in the table ahead of Liverpool's visit to the Etihad Stadium on Sunday. It's a game that will go some way to revealing whether they're back to being genuine title contenders or still stuck in the middle of a rebuild. To get back on track, Guardiola is doing things differently. He took the unusual step of canceling training the day before the Champions League tie with Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday, instead giving the players the day off."

Manchester City held a Halloween party with a cinema-style entrance decorated with "Wanted" and "Missing" posters featuring the squad, and guests were greeted by an old-school theater scene. Injuries and a significant dip in form made the 2024-25 campaign a certified nightmare after four consecutive Premier League titles. Players and staff are now able to poke fun at themselves while the club continues efforts to show full recovery. Guardiola has declined to speculate on season ambitions, and City's start has been mixed with notable wins and damaging defeats. Guardiola adjusted preparations, cancelling a training session before the Borussia Dortmund Champions League tie to give the squad a day off.

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