In the fourth and fifth rounds of the Premier League, Manchester City faced opponents who were hardly considered formidable: Everton and Wimbledon.
Wimbledon, in particular, had spent two of the previous three seasons hovering dangerously close to relegation, finishing just one place above the drop zone on both occasions. Fleet Street's commentary even suggested that simply surviving another Premier League season would require something close to a miracle. Spending two consecutive seasons lingering around 15th to 17th in the table was nothing short of absurd.
Their statistics painted an even bleaker picture. They were the second-lowest-scoring team in the league while also conceding the second-highest number of goals in the entire Premier League.
In other words, their defense was vulnerable, and their attack was almost nonexistent.
