Manchester City fans arrived at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday night expecting a response after the 2–1 defeat to Newcastle United. Instead, they were greeted with a heavily rotated lineup—ten changes from the weekend loss—with only Nico González surviving Pep Guardiola’s reshuffle for the Champions League showdown with Bayer Leverkusen.
It was a clear opportunity for Savinho, who has recently lost his starting place on the left wing to the more explosive Jérémy Doku. But rather than using the occasion to re-establish himself, the €100k-a-week winger produced yet another disappointing performance that pushed the fanbase to breaking point.
Savinho’s Poor Performance in Numbers
Savinho entered the clash needing a statement display. What followed was anything but.
According to Sofascore, the Brazilian finished the night with:
1 shot attempted 4 successful dribbles out of 9 1 accurate cross 24 possessions lost
The numbers match the eye test: lots of activity, but almost no tangible output. City fan hub City Chief described the showing as yet another night with “no end product.”
Journalist Amos Murphy went even further, branding his decision-making “puzzling”—a criticism that has become common in recent months.
Guardiola has repeatedly defended Savinho, calling him “aggressive” and insisting he offers vertical threat when in form. But even Pep’s optimism is wearing thin as the winger’s record now stands at just four goals in 64 Manchester City appearances. Increasingly, supporters fear he is following the path of Jack Grealish: high fee, high flair, low impact.
What Manchester City Fans Are Saying
The frustration reached new heights on social media after the Leverkusen match, with several posts going viral for their brutal honesty.
One fan, @Deji_mide, delivered a cutting remark:
“The hurtful part about this Savinho dude is he’s always healthy.”
Another supporter, @bernardooov3, mocked the Brazilian’s technical level, writing:
“Savinho is proof that you don’t have to be talented to make it at the professional level. He gives hope to all of us.”
Meanwhile, @MCFC_Jacky questioned Savinho’s identity as a Brazilian winger after watching Estevão light up the Champions League:
“Look at that Estevão performance and tell me Savinho is Brazilian. I can’t be fooled.”
And the criticism only intensified:
@SxrgiSZN went viral with an especially savage line:
“If you put Savinho’s brain in a cow it’d start barking.”
Another fan, @FPLMaineRoad, summed up the general mood:
“I refuse to believe there is one City fan who rates Savinho. He is so incredibly bad.”
With thousands of likes across these posts, it’s clear the fanbase has run out of patience.
Has Pep Reached His Breaking Point Too?
Guardiola’s rotation hinted at a manager searching for answers, and Savinho’s failure to impress this time may accelerate his slide down the pecking order. With Doku thriving and Estevão emerging, City’s left flank is becoming a ruthless battlefield.
Savinho still has time on his side—he’s only 21—but his performances now carry consequences. City supporters want more than skill moves and half-hearted dribbles; they want decisiveness, production, and purpose.
For now, the mood is clear:
the fans have washed their hands of him.
If Savinho wants to rewrite the narrative, he will need more than flicks and feints—he needs substance.
