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Pep: Everyone wants to sack me! More than ever I want to be here

1 Dec 2024
FBL-ENG-PR-LIVERPOOL-MAN CITY

Pep Guardiola says he will hug his players and reset from zero to get Man City over their worst run since 2008

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Manchester City are amidst their worst run under Pep Guardiola and their toughest in the Premier League for over 16 years.

Sunday's 2-0 loss at Liverpool was their fourth consecutive league defeat, the first time they have suffered such a run since 2008. 

It is the first time in his managerial career that Guardiola has lost four consecutive league matches, while in all competitions Man City's winless streak now stands at seven matches, stretching back to 26 October, when they won 1-0 against bottom-of-the-table Southampton. 

Incredibly, Man City were the ONLY Premier League team to fail to pick up a single point in November.

Man City's last seven results
Date Match Competition
30 Oct Spurs 2-1 Man City EFL Cup
2 Nov Bournemouth 2-1 Man City Premier League
5 Nov Sporting 4-1 Man City UEFA Champions League
9 Nov Brighton 2-1 Man City Premier League
23 Nov Man City 0-4 Spurs Premier League
26 Nov Man City 3-3 Feyenoord UEFA Champions League
1 Dec Liverpool 2-0 Man City Premier League

It's a run of form that has dropped them to FIFTH in the Premier League table, 11 points behind leaders Liverpool, whose fans jeered Guardiola by singing to him, 'You're getting sacked in the morning', to which he responded by showing six fingers to the crowd, indicating how many Premier League titles he has won with Man City. 

"All the stadiums want to sack me, it started at Brighton!" Guardiola, who recently signed a two-year contract extension until 2027, told Sky Sports after Sunday's defeat. 

"Maybe they are right with the results we've 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. I didn't expect it from the people from Liverpool but it's fine, it's part of the game, and I understand completely. We've had incredible battles together. I have a respect for them."

Carragher: City in a mini-crisis

Man City were dominated by Liverpool on Sunday, being outshot by 18 to eight and conceding an Expected Goals (xG) total of over three for only the second time in recorded Premier League history.

Furthermore, City's first shot at Anfield wasn't until the 39th minute, making it their longest wait for their first shot of a Premier League match since April 2010 versus Arsenal. 

"I think it's almost a mini-crisis at Manchester City," former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher told Sky Sports.

"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."

Pep: I want to hug my players

Despite their tough run, Guardiola says he wants to be at Man City now more than ever. 

"We didn't have a pre-season and then injuries, but we know that and we have to survive with that," he added.

"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.

"I said before this game that we weren't in a position to think about targets but the season is long. We have to think about making results and then some players will come back and then we'll be better and we'll believe maybe. There are many things to fight for and we're going to try.

Premier League

Position Pos Club Played Pl GD Points Pts
1 Liverpool LIV 13 +18 34
2 Arsenal ARS 13 +12 25
3 Chelsea CHE 13 +12 25
4 Brighton BHA 13 +5 23
5 Man City MCI 13 +3 23
View More

"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."

Man City's next five PL matches

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