New Delhi: Pep Guardiola finds himself in uncharted territory as Manchester City experience an unprecedented slump in form. The club’s recent struggles reached a new low on Sunday when they fell to arch-rivals Manchester United 2-1 in a dramatic ending that left fans and pundits stunned. This defeat marks the eighth defeat in eleven matches for the reigning champions.
After dominating the Premier League for the past four seasons, there are serious concerns about the alarming slide in City’s performance. Their inconsistency is striking, with only one victory in their last eleven outings. Sliding to fifth place in the standings, nine points behind leaders Liverpool, Guardiola did not hesitate to take responsibility for his team’s woes.
After that crushing defeat in the Manchester derby, the experienced manager, 53, candidly admitted: “I wasn’t up to it.” He acknowledged the weight of responsibility that comes with his role, noting that it was his failure to instill the expected standards of performance in his workforce. Guardiola expressed deep regret for not being able to provide solutions to turn around their troubled fortunes.
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Looking at the team’s recent performances, Guardiola said the excuses had become fewer and fewer. His team’s inability to hold on to a 3-0 lead against Feyenoord, which ultimately ended in a draw, further illustrates their struggles. Whatever the weariness due to injuries and scheduling problems, he insisted such performances could not be justified.
This season has undoubtedly been Guardiola’s most difficult since taking the reins at City, following successful spells with FC Barcelona and Bayern Munich. Having recently extended his contract for two more years, the Spanish technician seems fully aware of the challenges ahead. When asked if his tactical skills were waning, he humbly replied: “I was never a magician.”
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For United manager Ruben Amorim, the derby was a difficult but ultimately rewarding encounter. After suffering defeats against Arsenal and Nottingham in previous matches, United found the net only in the 88th minute, after trailing. In a dramatic turnaround, they took advantage of City’s tactical errors to claim victory. Observers widely criticized City’s late game strategy as immature, resulting in the loss of three crucial points that were within their reach.
