Can Guardiola arrest Man City decline?

LONDON – Pep Guardiola has committed to Manchester City for the long term but for the first time in his managerial career, results may determine the Catalan’s future rather than his desire for a new challenge or break.

City’s board showed how fully they remain committed to the Guardiola project by extending his contract to 2023 last week.

There is good reason for the club’s faith. Guardiola is responsible for two of the three highest point tallies in Premier League history among six major trophies in his first four seasons in charge.

But a 2-0 defeat by Tottenham on Saturday that left City already eight points off the top of the table continued the malaise that has set in since the beginning of last…