manchestereveningnews.co.uk

A rethink and a rebuild - Pep Guardiola searching for Man City answers but delivers clear…

Pep Guardiola, Manager of Manchester City, looks dejected during the Premier League match between City and Manchester United

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola saw his side lose for an eighth time in 11 games as Manchester United staged a late comeback

Manchester City's woeful run of form was extended on Sunday in the most demoralising circumstances.

City contrived to throw away a 1-0 lead in the final moments of the Etihad derby as Manchester United staged an unlikely comeback to prevail 2-1. The Blues have now won just once in 11 matches and remain fifth in the Premier League table

Pep Guardiola must now try and find a solution with City now having a free week ahead of the trip to Aston Villa on Saturday. Here's every word the City boss said after the defeat to United.

ALSO READ: Manchester City player ratings vs Manchester United

ALSO READ: Manchester City vs Manchester United as it happened

What does it all mean?

"In the past, maybe I could presume that we could win with two minutes left but in the situation I never thought about that. We are not fluid, we were a team that always played with composure that now we don't have - especially for the amount of games losing. At the same time, sometimes the spirit or the strength helps you to find and in this games today we were there.

"It's not about this situation. It happened many times. I don't have a defence. I'm the boss, I'm the manager and I don't find the solution.

"This is a big club and in a big club, when you lose eight in 11 something wrong is happening. I can say the schedule is tough, injuries to players - but no: 3-0 against Feyenoord and we lose the game. Is it injuries or the schedule? No. We have to win that game. Today, we have to win that game.

"I'm the boss, I'm the manager and I'm not good enough. It's as simple as that. I have to find a way to talk to them about the way we have to play and press and build up and I'm not good enough.

"I'm not doing well. That is the truth because if it's always the same problem you can fix but it's not. Matheus made an incredible effort playing left back really good with and without but it's happened, it's football and move forward."

Are you worried you're running out of energy and magic?

"I didn't have energy or magic before. I was no magician. you never saw me here when we won and I said I am a magician. We were always able to find a way to find our support. Me as a manager I cannot say because Rodri is not here, when you are at the end with 73 minutes against Feyenoord already qualified for the next stag and today, there is something I am missing.

"When you win games, your energy is higher but it's my job. My job is not just to win games or lift trophies - I'm incredibly well paid for that reason to come to the press conferences and listen to the criticisms but maybe in one year we were able to lose eight games in one or two seasons.

"One month [ago] we were top of the league and the only team unbeaten in Europe and after one month and 10 games we lost eight games," he said. "This is a big club, the club of course cannot accept it. I'm still here sitting here in the press conference because of what we have done in the past.

"I promise you I tried. I think managers all round the world when they have big problems work more and think more and talk more to try and get the guys to know that we are still so good. I knew it would be a tough season at the beginning - I said even when we were winning - but I didn't expect it would be so hard like it is right now.

Can you and the club be as ruthless as you need to be at the end of the season?

"The end of the season will be the end of the season. Of course this club is a big club and cannot sustain it for a long time with the manager and the players. You have to change something."

You are not going, though....

"I am here but we have eight [defeats] in 11. Football is a team and I am completely convinced what I am saying that I am not good enough to find a way that players feel peace in their bodies and minds to play."

Do you still think you can turn it round?

"I want it desperately. With eight defeats in 11, but I'm here to try and I will try again and again."

Are you more concerned by loss of composure?

"The game was not under control, I know when we are controlling the game, I know when we play good. There are a lot of games over many years when we were not playing good and we were able to do it. Now for the situation, in some moments, we have the feeling that one mistake, we are going to concede a goal. When the situation goes bad, sometimes it hits the post and goes out and sometimes it goes in."

It's not the first time you've collapsed to lose a game though recently.

"In this season what defined us a lot at the start was when we started to go down, we come back. That was the only thing this season that was really good but our game, our pass...unfortunately at the end we lost it. I can say again the arguments but eight in 11, it is no defence. I can make a thousand million arguments but we have to find a way like we did in the past all the time and now we are not."

Read full news in source page