Pep Guardiola has hinted that perhaps it's time for another team to end his Manchester City's four-year run of Premier League titles after they lost 2-1 to Brighton & Hove Albion, handing the Spaniard a fourth consecutive defeat for the first time in his coaching career.
"Maybe after seven years winning six Premier Leagues, maybe one year another team deserve it," he told BBC Sport.
Erling Haaland gave Man City the lead on 23 minutes, however substitute Joao Pedro levelled on 78 minutes before setting up Premier League debutant Matt O’Riley five minutes later for the winner.
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On the defeat Guardiola suggested that the second-half turnaround was due to fitness issues with Ballon D'Or winner Rodri out for the season and other players not fully fit.
"We are not able to do 90 minutes right now," he told BBC Match of the Day. "We played a really good first half and moments in the second half. We lost again so [we need to] clean our heads, [go into the] international break and hopefully our players come back fit."
Asked whether City's form was a worry, he said: "We have to try and win games again. We were not able to sustain the rhythm in the second half. Four [defeats] in a row. We have to change things quick.
"The schedule becomes tough but it is going to happen when the players come back."
After the international break, City will next host Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League before facing Dutch side Feyenoord in the UEFA Champions League.
Man City's next Premier League fixtures
'Players need to come through'
Man City captain Kyle Walker says it's time for the squad to show character and respond after many years of success.
"This is the time where I want to see the players and real characters come through," Walker said on Man City's website.
"It’s all good for the last eight years when we’ve been winning and dominating games.
"But now it’s tough, this is the time where us, as the senior members, have to pull through the players who haven’t been here for a while and show them the foundations of this club.
"We’ve built those foundations over the last eight years and that will get us through this patch. It’s football and with the players and manager we have, with the club, the fans, it will pass."
"We need to weather the storm and make sure after the international break we come back fit and ready to go for an important part of the season."
'I can’t ask for much better than that'
For Brighton it was a glorious day and great return to action for matchwinner O'Riley, who was signed over the summer from Celtic but whose debut lasted only a matter of minutes after suffering an injury in the EFL Cup from a bad tackle.
When asked how he felt, O'Riley replied: "Really nice. I’m a little bit tired but I’m really happy to be back in that kind of way. I can’t ask for much better than that.
"People think it’s really tough when you’re injured but it’s given me some time to settle in with the boys, and come on the pitch and know exactly what I need to do. Thankfully I just happened to pop up when needed.
"It’s not about me. I’m just happy the team was ahead in that moment and it was really nice to enjoy it with all the fans and my team-mates as well."
Brighton will be hoping to build on their incredible start to the season as they currently sit fourth in the table under new head coach Fabian Hurzeler.
