Pep Guardiola has made it clear that Manchester City must continue with their tried-and-tested approach despite their recent struggles, as the club faces a challenging period with five consecutive defeats in all competitions.
City, who were once on a remarkable unbeaten run of 32 league games, have now experienced their worst run of form in recent memory, leading many to question whether they can reclaim their former dominance. Speaking after the latest loss, Guardiola remained resolute in his commitment to the team’s philosophy, insisting there would be no drastic changes to their tactics.
“What should I change? If I should change in the first season maybe we would not win six Premier Leagues in seven years. Impossible. I am not going to change,” Guardiola said, reaffirming his belief in the principles that have brought the club so much success.
Despite their recent troubles, City are still in a strong position in the Premier League, sitting second, and have a chance to advance in the Champions League. Guardiola admitted that their performance has not been up to the standards expected, but he rejected the idea that the team’s mentality or effort was lacking.
“It’s easy to say the mentality isn’t there or they don’t want it, it’s because they don’t run,” he explained. “I don’t believe in that.”
City’s struggles have been compounded by injuries to key players, including Rodri, who has been unavailable for the team’s recent matches. The absence of the Spanish midfielder has affected City’s ability to control the game, especially in counter-attacks, and Guardiola acknowledged that this has been one of the factors behind the team’s poor form.
“Our main player for this transition, Rodri, is not there,” he said.
Another major concern for Guardiola is the dip in form of Erling Haaland, with the Norwegian striker’s goals becoming less frequent.
“Without Erling, we would be in more trouble,” Guardiola admitted, highlighting that other players like Josko Gvardiol, John Stones, and Mateo Kovacic are among the team’s top scorers, which he described as “not normal.”
Guardiola, however, remained confident that City can turn things around, but he stressed the importance of breaking their current losing streak. The club will be hoping for a strong response in their upcoming Champions League match against Feyenoord, with Guardiola stressing the importance of focusing on the next game.
“I have the feeling that this season we will do very good things,” Guardiola said. “I don’t give up and I have the feeling that we will be there.”
City’s recent run has raised questions about whether they can reclaim their Premier League title, but Guardiola’s focus remains on sticking to their principles and regaining momentum, starting with their next match.
