DANNY MURPHY: Pep Guardiola must dig out his stars… with the axe! It’s time for the Man City boss to introduce youthful energy to solve their crisis

After another miserable showing, Pep Guardiola has to be bold and give his senior players a kick up the backside.

It’s time to introduce youthful energy into the Manchester City team, either through the January transfer window or throwing in the fittest, hungriest players already at the club.

If Pep’s line-ups don’t change, City’s results won’t change and they won’t be in the Champions League next season, let alone dreaming of trophies.

Aston Villa were outstanding yesterday but City’s tried and trusted — the players who have experienced so much glory — loped about as if they were feeling sorry for themselves.

City lacked urgency on and off the ball. They created little and made it easy for Villa to play between the lines — a disastrous combination.

Pep’s front five were a huge problem. There wasn’t enough movement and runs in behind when in possession, and a real lack of tenacity without the ball.

City’s team lack hunger on the pitch and they could solve that by adding youth to their team

Ageing stalwarts like Bernardo Silva and Ilkay Gundogan weren’t capable of stemming the Villa tide. Erling Haaland looked exhausted.

In the circumstances, it’s bewildering to me that Jeremy Doku and Savinho – who do have athleticism — didn’t start, or younger players like James McAtee haven’t been given a chance. They couldn’t do any worse.

When Villa signed Amadou Onana and Morgan Rogers from Everton and Middlesbrough, there wasn’t any great fanfare, yet City would love their type in their own team right now. It’s ironic that Rogers started out at the City academy yet, like Cole Palmer, has had to move on to get his chance.

It was a huge surprise to me how passive City were. They couldn’t cope with the quality and power of the two Villa players I mentioned and Jhon Duran.

It’s so unlike the great City teams Pep built. Lack of confidence can make you drained, but I think it was more a case of them simply being unable to cope with the physical demands as they collectively get older. 

City’s players were trying to play a high line and press but couldn’t do it and were over-run. Hence, Guardiola has to now sacrifice some of his usual priority on technical excellence in order to get his most in-shape players into the team.

Haaland seems tired after a long run of games and City must regret selling Julian Alvarez, leaving them short of cover up front — a sense of uncharacteristic complacency from the famed City recruitment department?

Even so, the Norwegian could still run more without the ball and get in people’s faces. Even when Dominic Solanke isn’t playing well for Spurs, he is an absolute pest. From Haaland and his City pals, there was no anger or aggression. Just one booking until the final few minutes tells its own story.

Young midfielder James McAtee has barely had a chance in the City first-team this season

Former City academy star Morgan Rogers produced a scintillating display against his old side

They looked leggy, lacked tenacity and need to get back to basics. The priority in the January transfer window has to be signing two midfielders who can run. The way Onana and Rogers bullied City yesterday was embarrassing for the champions. 

I never experienced the same success this City team have enjoyed but I remember Gerard Houllier being tough with me when my levels dropped off after a couple of decent seasons at Liverpool. He left me out the team, saying I was in the comfort zone.

It’s time Pep took a leaf out of Sir Alex Ferguson’s book and axed a few of the guys who have been part of City’s journey if he sees them fading now.

I think Guardiola would take fourth place now if you offered it to him. Will he be in charge for the first game next season? It’s a good question but I suspect he will.

This is a unique situation for the greatest manager of his generation and I don’t think he will want to jump ship until he’s sorted it out.