All good things must come to an end.
Manchester City’s 32-game unbeaten Premier League is over after a lacklustre performance led to a 2-1 loss at in-form Bournemouth.
That incredible run was a club record without tasting defeat.
Saturday’s loss also means City have dropped to second in the Premier League, trailing leaders Liverpool by two points.
“They [Bournemouth] were another pace today and we could not handle it,” Guardiola said.
“We knew we couldn’t match the intensity. We have talked about it. It was an open game.
“We had chances at the end but I congratulate Bournemouth for the victory.”
Guardiola has overseen 488 games since being appointed as City manager in 2016, winning 360, drawing 60 and losing 68.
Prior to Saturday’s trip to Bournemouth, City’s last loss came at Aston Villa on 6 December 2023.
During that run they picked up 26 victories and six draws, scoring an impressive 80 goals and conceding just 26.
They amassed 84 points and went on to end 2023-24 with the Premier League title – winning the top flight for a third successive season.
Arsenal, who finished second last term, were the next best performing team during City’s unbeaten streak.
However, the Gunners lost five times during that period, scored five fewer goals and collected just 71 points.
Liverpool were the third-best performing team, collecting one fewer point than Arsenal as they won 21, drew seven and lost four.
“We would like to keep defending it but how many games and months we did it… it’s great,” Guardiola told Sky Sports when asked about going almost a year without losing.
As impressive as City’s form has been over the last 11 months, they remain way off the all-time Premier League record.
Indeed, City are fourth when it comes to longest unbeaten runs since the inception of the Premier League in 1992-93.
Arsenal are top of the pile after enjoying a 49-game stretch without losing between May 2003 and October 2004 – spanning across three seasons.
The Gunners went through the 2003-04 campaign without losing, becoming the only club to achieve that feat, and earning the nickname “The Invincibles”.
Liverpool rank second on that list with a 44-game unbeaten run between January 2019 and February 2020, while Chelsea avoided defeat for 40 matches from October 2004 through to October 2005.
