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A very calm Pep Guardiola insisted that the “solution” to Manchester City’s dire form is to wait for his injured players to return to full fitness.
were sent to convince the city 2-1 loss to Aston Villa Saturday afternoon. The reigning Premier League champions were toothless for most of their trip to Villa Park, barely offering any sustained threat before Phil Foden’s consolation strike in stoppage time. City have now lost nine of their previous 12 matches in all competitions.
Erling Haaland once again skirted the periphery of the contest and admitted after the game that he had Wasn’t good enough In recent weeks. However, the Nordic goal-gobbler took solace in the fact that Guardiola remains at the helm of Manchester City. “He will find solutions,” Hollande insisted. “He does this every year. We still believe in him.”
not for For the first time this seasonGuardiola carried out post-match media duties with a visible graze on his scalp. After an energetic display on the touchline at Villa Park, the Catalan coach composed himself for a press conference and smoothed over his side’s woes.
“It’s up to us,” Guardiola said, barely raising his voice above a whisper. “The solution is to bring players back. We only have one central defender fit, which is difficult. We are going to try the next game – another chance and we don’t think too much.”
City’s talismanic defender Ruben Dias Joined the crowded treatment room In the last week. Fellow centre-back John Stones lasted just 45 minutes against Villa before an ongoing injury forced him off, leaving Manuel Akanji in a barren backline.
Guardiola ventured beyond the injury excuse, but offered only vagueness. “Of course there are more reasons,” he sniffed. “We concede the goals we haven’t conceded in the past, we (don’t) score the goals we’ve scored in the past. Football isn’t just one reason. There are a lot of small factors.”
In their last eight Premier League In the matches, City have taken just four points, scored nine times and conceded a staggering 16. Despite this terrible run, Guardiola was optimistic that the title race would remain alive. City – as he pointed out – lost at Villa Park last December before cruising to a fourth consecutive Premier League crown.
“Last season we won the Premier League, but we came here and lost,” noted the serial champion. “We have to think positively and I have incredible faith in the boys. Some of them have incredible pride and desire to do it. We have to find a way back sooner or later.”
