Manchester City’s poor run of form continued with a 2-1 loss to Aston Villa, leaving Pep Guardiola and his team looking for answers. Guardiola acknowledged that while his side had a strong first half, they dropped off in the second half, which contributed to another disappointing defeat. The match saw John Stones come off injured at halftime, with former City youngster Morgan Rogers scoring for Villa in the second half to seal the win.
Despite the loss, Guardiola insisted that the team has the quality to turn things around. He admitted that City had a difficult time maintaining their pressing game, which Villa capitalized on. Guardiola also emphasized that City still need to rebuild their confidence, something that has been lacking in recent weeks.
Erling Haaland, who was once again starved of service, also spoke to the media, acknowledging that City’s confidence is low. However, he remained optimistic about their chances of bouncing back under Guardiola’s leadership, reaffirming his belief in the manager’s ability to find solutions.
RECALL:
After a strong start to the game, City found themselves trailing 1-0 at the break. Guardiola’s tactical changes in the second half didn’t have the desired impact, and Villa extended their lead through Rogers. Despite a late goal from Phil Foden, City were unable to recover, suffering yet another defeat in a challenging season.
QUOTES:
Pep Guardiola:
“We made a really good first half, second half we dropped. We changed our pressing for the reason John [Stones] could not continue. Congratulations to Aston Villa and keep going.”
“In the mid-block they [Villa] are so strong. We had chances, more chances than in the [Manchester] United game, but in the second half we dropped and our pressing was not good enough. We struggled a little bit and we could not drop them well. We found a goal in the end, but too late. We struggle to score and we concede goals.”
“I have to do it [change my approach]. Back my players, that is what will be different.”
“Step by step, we have nice personalities in the team and sooner or later we are going to find it.”
Erling Haaland:
“Of course, not the best. We know how important confidence is and you can see that it affects every human being. That is how it is, we have to continue and stay positive even though it is difficult.”
“It’s not good enough, it’s not good enough from me.”
“He [Guardiola] won the Premier League six times in seven years, so we will never forget that. He will find the solutions. He has been doing that every single year. We still believe in him, we have to work harder than ever right now.”
CITATIONS:
This interview was conducted by TNT Sports in the UK following the match at Villa Park.
KEEP IN MIND:
With City’s struggles continuing, the key now will be whether Guardiola can quickly rebuild the team’s confidence and address the issues that have plagued their performances.
Despite the challenges, both Guardiola and Haaland remain confident that City can turn their season around with hard work and belief in the manager’s methods. The team’s next few matches will be critical in determining if they can regain their top form.
