By Daily Sports Nigeria on December 2, 2024

Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola, has vowed to rally his players and reset after the club suffered a fourth consecutive Premier League defeat, falling 2-0 to Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday.

The loss marked City’s worst league run since 2008 and extended their winless streak in all competitions to seven matches.

The defeat dropped City to fifth on the Premier League table, 11 points behind league leaders Liverpool. Fans at Anfield taunted Guardiola with chants of “You’re getting sacked in the morning,” to which the Spaniard responded by holding up six fingers, symbolising his six Premier League titles with the club.

“All the stadiums want to sack me; it started at Brighton!” Guardiola joked post-match.

“Maybe they are right with the results we’ve been having. I didn’t expect that at Anfield, but it’s part of the game, and I understand completely. We’ve had incredible battles together, and I respect them,” he added.

Mini-Crisis at City

City’s performance at Anfield was dominated by Liverpool, with the Reds outshooting them 18-8 and recording an Expected Goals (xG) total of over three—only the second time in City’s Premier League history. City’s first shot came in the 39th minute, their longest wait in a league match since 2010.

Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher described City’s current form as a mini-crisis, likening it to Liverpool’s struggles two seasons ago.

“I think it’s almost a mini-crisis at Manchester City.

“It’s reminiscent of Liverpool two years ago and I think City might have a fight on their hands for top four. I look at Arsenal and Chelsea, the way they’re looking right now and I think it’s difficult for City to finish above them if they don’t go into the market in January,” Carragher said.

Pep’s Faith in Players

Despite the challenges, Guardiola remains committed to his team.

He said, “I am here sitting as a manager and defending what we have done in the past thanks to them, and more than ever, I want to be with them and hug them. We have to change results, and in the right time, we will take the decision. There’s a moment where maybe it will click.”

Guardiola acknowledged key injuries and the lack of a pre-season as contributing factors but maintained hope for the season.

“I congratulate them [Liverpool] and we’ll reset and start from zero and it is difficult to believe it. I rely a lot on these players, I know they are doing in this position. We’ll see what happens by the end of the season.

“There is a moment where maybe it will click. Today Kevin [De Bruyne] played good minutes and Jack [Grealish] played well in that position and Jeremy [Doku] played good minutes after a month out. Bernardo and Rico [Lewis] have a lot of minutes in their legs. Nathan [Ake] was exceptional against maybe one of the great wingers. I congratulate Liverpool, they deserve the victory and we accept the situation right now and we’ll build from that,” he added.

City’s next Premier League matches offer opportunities to bounce back, starting with Nottingham Forest at home on Wednesday.

Premier League Standings
Liverpool – 34 pts
Arsenal – 25 pts
Chelsea – 25 pts
Brighton – 23 pts
Man City – 23 pts

Guardiola’s immediate focus is on addressing City’s slump, with fixtures against Nottingham Forest, Crystal Palace, and Manchester United looming in December.

Source Punch Ng

Posted December 2, 2024

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