Guardiola Vows Manchester City Will “Reset and Start from Zero” After Defeat

Following Manchester City’s defeat, manager Pep Guardiola shared his thoughts with Sky Sports, stating, “The first 15 to 20 minutes, they were unstoppable. They started so strong. We tried to play with a lot of control and passes, but it was difficult to take it.” Guardiola acknowledged, “They deserved the first goal,” but noted that his team “started the first-half so well and played well in the second-half without too much threat.” He also recognized Liverpool’s strength, adding, “I know how strong Liverpool are in both boxes.” He extended congratulations to the opposing team, stating, “I congratulate them and we will reset and start from zero.” Expressing some disbelief, he continued, “It is difficult to believe it. I rely a lot on these players, I know they are doing in this position. We will see what happens by the end of the season.” Guardiola commented on tactical options, saying, “We can always do the short passes, but we don’t have many alternatives.” He expressed gratitude to his players, stating, “All I can say is thank you to them because I know the commitment that they showed with and without the ball.” He also conveyed a sense of future optimism, adding, “Maybe I had a feeling inside me that we will build from them. We will restart and try to make a good run. There is a moment where maybe it will click.” The manager highlighted individual player performances, noting that “Kevin [De Bruyne] played good minutes, Jack [Grealish] played well in that position and Jeremy [Doku] played good minutes after a month out.” He also mentioned that “Bernardo [Silva] and Rico [Lewis] have a lot of minutes in their legs,” and praised “Nathan [Ake] was exceptional against maybe one of the great wingers.” Reiterating his congratulations, Guardiola stated, “I congratulate Liverpool, they deserve the victory. We accept the situation right now and we will build from that.” Guardiola further elaborated on challenges, noting, “We didn’t have a pre-season and then [we got] injuries, but we know that and we have to survive with that.” He assessed the team’s performance, stating, “We competed [today] but didn’t create many chances.” He also identified areas of weakness, explaining, “We don’t have the pace in the middle right now, they are stronger in the duels and you have to survive with the ball. We are not good in transitions over 30 to 40 metres, compared to them.” Guardiola affirmed his team’s adaptability, saying, “We had to adapt, and we did it. I cannot forget which players I have.” He expressed his commitment to his role and players, stating, “I am sitting here 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.” The manager indicated a need for improved results, adding, “We have to change results and, in the right time, we will take the decision.” Guardiola also commented on crowd reactions, remarking, “All the stadiums want to sack me, it started at Brighton! Maybe they are right with the results we have been having. I didn’t expect that at Anfield. They didn’t do it at 1-0 but at 2-0. Maybe they should have sung it in the past.” He continued regarding the Liverpool supporters, “I didn’t expect it from the people of Liverpool, but it’s fine. It’s part of the game and I understand completely. We have had incredible battles together. I have a respect for them.” When asked about the possibility of new Premier League champions this year, Guardiola responded, “I said before this game that we weren’t in a position to think about targets, but the season is long.” He outlined his team’s immediate focus, stating, “We have to think about making results and then some players will come back and then we will be better and we will believe, maybe.” Guardiola concluded by emphasizing, “There are many things to fight for and we are going to try.”