Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has declared his huge sense of “pride” after his ailing champions suffered yet another defeat, this time at the hands of Aston Villa.
Guardiola refused to point the finger at his players following the 2-1 loss – their sixth defeat in their last eight games.
“Thanks to some players today, the pride they showed on the pitch again,” he said.
“It happens since three months ago, nothing has changed. I have to deal with that. This is not an easy place to come, last season in the Premier League we didn’t win here.
“I take the positive things from here, reflect and the same with the players. What I see them doing before and after, how they behave and I feel pride, thinking let’s go, onto the next one.
“It’s over, this is one, we will recover, see how many players can play the next game against Everton and try to do it.
“I never point in nine years and never will point at players, it will be easy for me to say that and completely wrong.
“They tried, and they want to do it and have to find a solution and balance to create more chances and score goals and not concede.”
Erling Haaland was hugely frustrated throughout the contest once again and has now scored just one in his last six league games, but Guardiola stuck up for his talisman.
“Without him, we will be even worse,” Guardiola said of the Norwegian.
“But I like how the players feel this way. This is our only chance we have to get better.
“We tried and at the end he needs to be delivered the right balls in the right spots and position, but now we will fight for the next one.”
Morgan Rogers scores a goal for Aston Villa against Manchester City. (Photo by Catherine Ivill – AMA/Getty Images)
Goals from Jhon Duran and Morgan Rogers at Villa Park on Saturday consigned the four-time defending champions to a ninth defeat in 12 games, with Guardiola’s side having won just once during that run.
Phil Foden did pull a goal back for City in stoppage time, but it wasn’t enough to spark a late comeback.
“We have to stay positive, even though it’s difficult, and we have to keep working hard,” City striker Erling Haaland said.
City have dropped to sixth on 27 points — nine points behind leaders Liverpool, having played two games more, and seven adrift of Chelsea.
Villa climbed to fifth on 28 while third-placed Arsenal (33) and fourth-placed Nottingham Forest (31) kept up the pressure with wins, but all the focus was on City’s remarkable fall, which shows no sign of stopping.
A sixth league defeat is City’s worst record since the 2020-21 season.
Only once under Guardiola have City managed to win the title when losing six times in the league. That was in 2020-21, when they lost two of their last three games, having already been confirmed champions.
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City lost nine times when Liverpool won the title in ’19-20, but their sixth defeat didn’t come until the February of that campaign.
Guardiola also lost six times in the league in his first season in English soccer in ’16-17 when City finished third.
It could have been worse for City as Villa dominated the game with Duran scoring his sixth goal in as many starts in the 16th minute from Rogers’ assist.
Villa had a goal disallowed for offside in the second half and Rogers hit the post before doubling the home side’s lead in the 65th.
Declan Rice says 'night night' to put the finishing touch on a five-star Arsenal performance
— Optus Sport (@OptusSport) December 21, 2024
They've scored five or more goals in SIX different away matches in 2024.
WATCH ???? https://t.co/geyLahRjmR pic.twitter.com/yKe23jmYJs
If City’s demise is the surprise story of the season, then Forest’s rise isn’t far behind.
After battling relegation for much of last term, they’re in contention to qualify for the Champions League and possibly more.
Facing a Brentford team that was unbeaten at home, goals from Ola Aina and Anthony Elanga secured another statement win on the road for Nuno Espirito Santo’s side, having already won at Anfield and Old Trafford this year.
Arsenal were rampant in a 5-1 win at Crystal Palace, thanks to a double from Gabriel Jesus and other goals from Kai Havertz, Gabriel Martinelli and Declan Rice.
Brazil striker Jesus also scored a hat-trick against Palace in the League cup quarter-final in midweek, but there was a setback for the Gunners as Bukayo Saka limped off in the first half.
Alexander Isak hit a hat-trick in Newcastle’s 4-0 win at Ipswich. The Sweden international, who has 10 goals in his last 11 games, wrapped up his treble inside 54 minutes at Portman Road, while Jacob Murphy also scored.
Brighton were 1-0 up at West Ham through Mats Wieffer, but Mohammed Kudus levelled for the draw.
Newshttps://www.theroar.com.au/2024/12/22/without-him-well-be-even-worse-pep-sticks-up-for-misfiring-haaland-as-villa-vanquish-slumping-city/‘Without him, we’ll be even worse’: Pep sticks up for misfiring Haaland as Villa vanquish slumping City
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