Manchester City Manager, Pep Guardiola, has admitted he holds himself accountable for the club’s disappointing form this season.
City, who have dominated the Premier League by winning four consecutive titles and six in the last seven years, now sit 14 points behind league leaders Liverpool. A 2-0 victory over Leicester on Sunday marked only their second win in 14 matches, making it the worst run of Guardiola’s illustrious managerial career, which includes successful stints at Barcelona and Bayern Munich.
“There are many aspects to being a manager, and I have missed something – something I’m not doing well,” Guardiola said.
“When you lose a lot of games, the manager carries an incredible responsibility. It’s clear there’s something the team needs, and I haven’t been able to provide it.
“The call is on me first, not the players. Naturally, they drop a little in confidence, and that’s normal. It even happened a bit last season.”
Despite City’s history of slow starts in previous title-winning campaigns, this season has seen an unprecedented drop in form.
Guardiola admitted that his inability to resolve the issues is to blame for their current predicament.
“With this lack of consistency in results, I should have figured it out,” Guardiola said.
“I am not saying this to seem noble – it is simply the truth. I lead this group, and I couldn’t lift them. That is the reality.”
Injuries have been a significant factor for City this season, including the loss of key midfielder Rodri, a recent Ballon d’Or winner.
Guardiola has repeatedly acknowledged how injuries have impacted the team but insists he could have done more to adapt.
“We were the only unbeaten team in Europe until October 30, 2024 and were top of the league,” Guardiola explained.
“But after that, we declined, due to injuries and many other factors we have discussed. Even so, I should have found a way to achieve better results.”
Manchester City, now seeking to recover their form, will face West Ham at 15:00 GMT on Saturday. (Credit BBC)
