Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has responded assertively as his team faces its roughest stretch of results since 2018. A 4-1 loss to Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League marked City’s third consecutive defeat, a streak rarely seen under Guardiola’s leadership.
Though Bernardo Silva referred to the club’s current state as a “dark place,” Guardiola disagreed, acknowledging that after a loss of this magnitude, words might mean little. However, he remains determined to tackle the challenges ahead.
“We knew this season would be tough,” Guardiola stated. “I like it. I love it. I want to face it and support my players. I won’t give up—that’s for certain.”
Injuries have severely impacted City, but sympathy is sparse. Guardiola’s decision to start Jahmai Simpson-Pusey—making his first senior start right after his 19th birthday—highlighted the team’s struggles in defense. John Stones and Ruben Dias were absent, while Nathan Ake stayed on the bench. Rico Lewis filled in at right-back due to Kyle Walker’s unavailability, and Kevin de Bruyne only appeared for the last few minutes. Crucially, defensive anchor Rodri is out for the season.
Reflecting on the situation, Guardiola compared it to his debut campaign in 2016-17, when City initially struggled but eventually finished strong. “This happened in my first year. Sometimes things go this way. I have to try to explain it, but sometimes it’s just football. Life is like that. We face tough times, but we keep moving forward,” he said.
City now head to Brighton for a challenging away fixture on Saturday, and Guardiola will be keen to avoid a fourth consecutive loss.
For Silva, the current situation is unfamiliar and unsettling. “It’s hard to understand why this is happening,” Silva admitted. “In over seven seasons, I don’t recall three losses in a row. We’re in a dark place, and everything feels like it’s going wrong. The positive side is we’re still in strong positions in both the Premier League and Champions League. But we must improve. This isn’t good enough.”
City currently sit second in the Premier League, trailing Liverpool by two points and standing four points clear of third-placed Nottingham Forest. They are also sixth in the Champions League standings, though they may fall outside the top eight depending on upcoming results.
As for the upcoming competition, Guardiola commented on the arrival of Ruben Amorim at Manchester United, acknowledging that City will likely face Amorim’s side twice in the league and possibly in the FA Cup. “Yes, he will be the United manager. We’ll meet twice in the Premier League and maybe in the FA Cup, though not in the Champions League,” Guardiola noted.
