I’ve watched enough football to know when a player is simply having an off night, and when the off night is actually just… who they are. After Manchester City’s 0-0 snorefest at the Stadium of Light, I’m firmly in the second camp when it comes to Savinho. Honestly, the lad couldn’t finish his tea, as one fan so eloquently put it, and at this level that’s a capital offence.

Let’s set the scene. It’s January 2026, the title race is tighter than a hipster’s skinny jeans, and City travel to a resilient Sunderland side who have made defending an art form. This was supposed to be the night we kept pace with Arsenal, who are now four points clear at the top – instead, we dropped points in a game where we had 72% possession and enough chances to win two matches. And who spurned the most glorious of those chances? Yep, our Brazilian winger.

Savinho was handed only his fifth league start of the season. A fresh start, a new year, a golden ticket to prove he belongs in Guardiola’s galaxy of stars. What did he do with it? He missed two big chances – the kind of chances that make you scream into your scarf and question your life choices. His pace caused problems, sure, but his decision-making in the final third was like watching someone try to solve a Rubik’s cube in the dark. The end product? Practically non-existent. In the dying minutes, when City were camped inside Sunderland’s half like an overly eager house guest who won’t leave, Savinho repeatedly picked the wrong pass or scuffed his shot directly at the goalkeeper. It was agonising.

Now, I get it – he’s only 21, and Brazilian attackers often need time to adapt. But this isn’t 2024 anymore. Savinho first arrived on loan in the summer of 2024, returned permanently, and has yet to lock down a starting spot. Guardiola’s patience, famously short for tactical underperformers, seems to have finally run out. And honestly? I can’t blame him. Six wins on the bounce before tonight, and then this flat performance. If you want to win titles, you can’t carry passengers, and right now Savinho is travelling first class without a ticket.

Enter the transfer window, that magical time of year when hope gets repackaged with a £65 million price tag. The juicy rumour mill has already spat out the name Antoine Semenyo – Bournemouth’s Ghanaian hotshot, who is basically everything Savinho isn’t right now. Clinical? Check. Decisive? Check. Capable of finishing his breakfast, lunch, and dinner? Triple check. Reports say City have approached Bournemouth about triggering his release clause, and if you squint at the situation, it’s impossible not to see the writing on the wall. Semenyo has been one of the league’s most prolific forwards this season. He’s strong, direct, and would have buried at least one of those chances tonight. In a parallel universe, we’re top of the table

The fanbase has already cast its vote, and it’s a landslide. Social media – yes, I still call it X, don’t judge – was a bonfire of Savinho slander within minutes of the final whistle. Let me share some of the less printable gems:

“Had enough of Savinho. Take the money and play Semenyo. Couldn’t finish his tea!!”

That one made me chuckle, but also wince because it hits painfully close to home.

“Would never be against selling Savinho in the summer. The sight of him rattles me man.”

Poetry. Another fan bypassed nuance entirely:

“Savinho is utterly utterly USELESS.”

Ouch. But wait, there’s more:

“Savinho needs to be shipped out immediately.”

And my personal favourite, dripping with the kind of hyperbole only football can inspire:

“Savinho the worst footballer ever.”

I mean, I’ve seen worse – remember Bébé? No? Exactly. But the sentiment is clear: City fans are ready to pack his bags and drive him to the airport themselves. One even demanded “Sell savinho NOW,” and while I advocate for reasoned debate, I can’t ignore the emotional weight behind that caps-lock cry.

What interests me most is the shift in Guardiola’s stance. Last summer, Tottenham Hotspur came sniffing, and City slammed the door shut. Now? If Spurs or anyone else rings in January, I suspect Pep might answer politely, perhaps even offer them a complimentary coffee while they negotiate. The expected arrival of Semenyo makes Savinho surplus to requirements, a spare part in a machine that demands perfection. He’s not a bad player – he showed glimpses at Girona, which is why City bought him. But at the elite level, glimpses aren’t enough. You need consistency, and Savinho’s output has been more inconsistent than English weather.

Looking ahead, I wouldn’t be shocked if Savinho’s last significant action in a City shirt was that miss from six yards out tonight. Semenyo will likely waltz in, all power and end product, while the Brazilian becomes a footnote in a season that demands more. Guardiola has never been sentimental. He’s already guided this team to six consecutive wins before this damp squib, and he’ll do whatever it takes to claw back those four points. If that means axing a talented but maddeningly ineffective winger, so be it.

The transfer window is open, the vultures are circling, and Savinho’s City career hangs by a thread. I’ll be keeping my popcorn ready – and maybe a pen to write a heartfelt farewell card. Or maybe just a sticky note that says “Thanks for the stepovers, now please learn to shoot.” Because that, my friends, is the beautiful cruelty of Premier League football. 🍿⚽