It has been 34 days since Manchester City last tasted victory in any competition.
Since that 1-0 win over Southampton in the Premier League, Pep Guardiola's side have gone out of the EFL Cup, lost three Premier League games on the spin and dropped five points out of six in the Champions League.
Now, eight points adrift of top spot, they face the prospect of potentially falling out of the Premier League title race with the toughest of challenges at league leaders Liverpool on Sunday.
If City lose to Arne Slot's in-form Reds, they will be 11 points behind their title rivals.
Defensive frailties, a fragile mentality, significant injuries and a lack of confidence are just some of the things pundits, Guardiola and his players have cited for this uncharacteristic downturn.
Midfielder Ilkay Gundogan, who captained City to a Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League Treble in 2022-23, said his side's current situation was "inexplicable".
He said 11 points would be a "huge gap", while Guardiola also agreed "it's true" such a deficit could be too significant to overhaul.
Are they right? Would that tally prove too much for a side renowned for fighting until the end of the season?