Pep Guardiola admitted he never anticipated Manchester City’s shocking dip in form after conceding two late goals in a 2-1 loss to Manchester United on Sunday.
City have managed just one win in their last 11 matches across all competitions, suffering eight defeats in that period.
After securing an unprecedented four consecutive Premier League titles, City’s title defence already seems over before Christmas. Guardiola’s side now sits fifth in the table, nine points behind leaders Liverpool, who still have a game in hand.
“I have no excuses. I’m the boss, I’m the manager. It’s my responsibility to find solutions, and I haven’t done that,” Guardiola admitted.
“This is a big club. When you lose eight out of 11 games, something is seriously wrong. Blaming the schedule or injuries doesn’t change anything. I’m the manager, and I’m not good enough. It’s as simple as that.”
City’s latest defeat was particularly crushing. Josko Gvardiol’s first-half header had seemingly put them on course for a much-needed victory over their local rivals.
However, the match unraveled in the final minutes. Matheus Nunes’ careless pass gifted Amad Diallo possession, and the midfielder compounded his error by bringing down the United winger in the box. Bruno Fernandes converted the penalty in the 88th minute to equalise.
Moments later, Diallo latched onto a long ball over the top, completing a dramatic turnaround and plunging City further into crisis.
Reflecting on the defeat, Guardiola added, “I’m sitting here because of what we’ve achieved in the past, but I knew this season would be tough. I said it many times, even when we were winning. But I didn’t expect it to be this difficult.”
