MANCHESTER, England – There was a moment during injury time at the Etihad Stadium when Phil Foden swept the ball to Bernardo Silva. With the score at 1-1, it was one last chance for Manchester City to score a winner against Everton. But nothing came of it. Silva’s cross was rushed and panicked – words not normally associated with Pep Guardiola’s serial winners.

However, this is City’s new reality. The spark that inspired four consecutive Premier League titles has disappeared in the last two months. A group of players who once found it so easy to achieve excellence now appear to be struggling with a chronic lack of self-confidence.

Silva scored the opening goal against Everton, but also missed a great chance to make it 2-0. Why he chose to use the outside of his boot and hit his shot the first time instead of passing the ball into the net with a reassuring touch only he will know. Again it was hectic and panicked, but Silva wasn’t the only one who made mistakes. Erling Haaland missed a second-half penalty and City extended their miserable run to just one win from their last 13 games in all competitions.

It says everything about City’s relegation that Everton didn’t look like they were trying to win for much of the game and still should have taken the win in the end. In the last of six minutes of injury time, four Everton players broke into two City defenders, with the resulting shot blocked by Jack Harrison before it could reach goalkeeper Stefan Ortega. That saved City from further embarrassment, but the eventual draw didn’t stop the Etihad from receiving boos at the final whistle.

“We played really well, but we are in the phase where that is happening,” Guardiola said afterwards. “We manage, we concede the first time (they) arrive (in the penalty area). But yes, (we) carry on.”

“That’s the dynamic in a situation where everything needs more time to work. Football is about winning, scoring goals and not conceding and we have always done that until the last month and a half. Now we are no longer able to do it.”

This was to mark the beginning of the city’s revival. Everton begin a series at home that also includes Leicester, West Ham, Brentford, Ipswich and an FA Cup tie against second division side Salford City. They will all face City as underdogs, but the relative ease with which Everton have dealt with Haaland and co will give hope that positive results are possible despite the odds.

The city’s aura of invincibility has been shattered and in its place is a fear that has infected almost everything. When Silva missed his golden chance to make it 2-0 midway through the first half, Foden – who laid the pass – turned around and screamed in anger. On the touchline, Guardiola arched his back in frustration. In the past, these small setbacks would have meant very little. Now it seems so difficult that City can’t afford to miss out on these opportunities. Foden and Guardiola seemed to know it too.

Jordan Pickford expertly saved Haaland’s penalty in the 53rd minute, but Everton’s only other close call came from a header from Josko Gvardiol that hit the post. Haaland’s penalty was his only shot on goal and one of just 22 touches of the ball. For the two-time Golden Boot winner it is now one goal in seven Premier League games. Even the robotic Norway international seemed to be suffering from self-doubt, and when a cross was thrown into the box later, he headed it back towards Foden rather than go for the goal himself.

Guardiola then spoke about his players not being able to “get back on their feet mentally” after missing the penalty; Meanwhile, his counterpart Sean Dyche admitted there is a different feeling at the Etihad these days.

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“They are being heavily questioned for the first time,” said Dyche, whose team have picked up points in their last three games against Arsenal, Chelsea and City. “Does this give you a chance? It’s not easy to use them. You already know she’s there because of the noise around her.”

“It’s the first phase of questions but the skill they’ve shown year after year is pretty impressive to have the first phase after all these years and trophies, so definitely the utmost respect. I think they deserve one and will open.” Someone was happy, but we worked hard to make sure it didn’t happen today.

Guardiola can only hope that some of the eight senior players missing against Everton are back when City travel to Leicester on Sunday. Furthermore, he prays that the January transfer window can provide a solution to some of his problems.

“The winter transfer window is not easy,” he said. “Even the players know that we need to add some new players. We have a lot (of injuries) and that is a problem. Sometimes it’s not easy. We have to try because this lasts for a long time.”

Getting players fit and getting a few extra players in in January will help, but the bigger challenge for Guardiola is how to boost the confidence of a team battered and bruised by this unprecedented run. Sheikh Mansour’s money will fill some gaps in the dressing room. It might be harder to restore his players’ confidence.