Guardiola Takes Responsibility for Manchester City’s Performance

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola, in an interview with BBC Match of the Day, commented on his team’s recent performance, stating there was “not much to say” regarding their defensive display, noting the opposition’s “incredibly persistent” play. He highlighted an unusual statistic, mentioning, “We have not lost eight games in two seasons,” and acknowledged the team’s inability to defend effectively. Guardiola emphasized that the issue was not individual players but rather the team’s collective fault for conceding goals. He further observed a lack of composure in their play, concluding that “the results are not good, the game was not exceptional,” and while he understood the circumstances, “the reality is this.” Guardiola continued by stressing the importance of understanding that “these situations happen” and the necessity of caution within the penalty area. He clarified that the issue was not specific to Matheus Nunes, noting that “he played really good in not his position at full-back,” but reiterated that the team’s overall performance needed improvement. He expressed hope that a positive outcome would help them regain their best form, acknowledging that “right now we don’t have it,” and affirmed his learning approach of “to keep going.” The manager then directly took personal accountability for the team’s struggles, stating, “I am not good enough. I am the boss, the manager, I have to find solutions and so far I haven’t. That’s the reality.” He concluded by expressing the team’s aspiration “to play better, create chances,” but conceded that “at the moment it’s not possible.”