Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola expressed deep frustration following his side’s late 2-1 loss to Manchester United on Sunday, admitting his team’s alarming dip in form was unexpected.
City, winners of four consecutive Premier League titles, have now triumphed just once in their last 11 matches across all competitions, suffering eight defeats in the process.
The reigning champions are currently fifth in the league, nine points behind leaders Liverpool, who have a game in hand.
Speaking after the match, Guardiola shouldered the blame for City’s struggles. “I don’t have defence, I’m the boss, I’m the manager. I have to find a solution, and I don’t find a solution,” he said. “This is a big club. When you lose eight out of 11, something wrong is happening. What can I say? The schedule is tough, the injured players? No.
“I’m the boss, I’m the manager and I’m not good enough. It’s as simple as that.”
City had looked on course for victory thanks to Josko Gvardiol’s first-half header. However, late errors proved costly. Matheus Nunes’ misplaced pass allowed Amad Diallo to break through, leading to a penalty converted by Bruno Fernandes in the 88th minute. Moments later, Diallo latched onto a long ball to seal United’s comeback win.
Reflecting on the ongoing crisis, Guardiola acknowledged the challenges of the season. “I knew that it would be a tough season. From the beginning, I said many times, even when we were winning. But I didn’t expect it would be so hard like it is right now.”
