Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has candidly accepted blame for his team’s recent poor form following a dramatic 2-1 defeat to rivals Manchester United on Sunday. The loss added to City’s ongoing troubles, leaving fans and analysts questioning the trajectory of the reigning Premier League champions.
City, who have dominated English football in recent years with four consecutive Premier League titles, are now enduring one of their worst runs under Guardiola. The team has managed just one win in their last 11 matches across all competitions, suffering eight losses during this slump.
The defeat at Old Trafford has left Guardiola’s side nine points adrift of league leaders Liverpool, who have a game in hand. Moreover, City find themselves outside the top four in fifth place, raising concerns about their chances of qualifying for the Champions League.
“I’m the boss, I’m the manager. I have to find a solution and I don’t find a solution,” Guardiola admitted. “This is a big club, when you lose eight out of 11, something wrong is happening.”
City appeared to be on course for victory after Josko Gvardiol’s first-half header, but late errors proved costly. A misplaced pass from Matheus Nunes allowed United’s Amad Diallo to capitalize, leading to a penalty converted by Bruno Fernandes in the 88th minute. Minutes later, Diallo struck again with a decisive goal, sealing United’s comeback.
Guardiola acknowledged the growing challenges facing his team, saying, “I knew that it would be a tough season… But I didn’t expect it would be so hard, like it is right now.”
