Manchester City cannot compete for 90 minutes, admits Pep Guardiola after fourth straight loss

BRIGHTON – Pep Guardiola admitted injury-ravaged Manchester City cannot compete for 90 minutes, after Brighton & Hove Albion’s stunning 2-1 victory on Nov 9 condemned the Spaniard to four successive defeats for the first time in his managerial career.

With just 12 minutes left at the Amex Stadium, Guardiola’s troubled side were clinging on to the lead given to them by Erling Haaland in the first half.

But the English Premier League champions collapsed in the closing stages as Joao Pedro equalised, before fellow substitute Matt O’Riley bagged Brighton’s winner seven minutes from full time.

“Last season, we dropped too many points and the gaffer told us to believe in ourselves and we are doing well this season against the big teams,” Pedro told Sky Sports.

For the first time in his glittering career as a manager with City, Bayern Munich and Barcelona, Guardiola has been beaten four times in a row across all competitions.

It was also the first time City had lost four successive games since a run between April and August 2006 under Stuart Pearce.

“Today we played really good in the first half, but we couldn’t finish the game,” Guardiola said.

“We were not consistent to maintain our game and our intensity and press and be aggressive for 90 minutes.

“The level we are playing is really good in certain moments, but we are not able to continue for a long time.

“I’m pretty sure when the players come back (after the international break) and we make some individual qualities in the team, we’ll be back.”

After exiting the League Cup to Tottenham Hotspur in the last 16 and suffering a first league loss since December 2023 at Bournemouth, City were thrashed 4-1 by Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League in midweek.

The slump continued as they failed to kill off Brighton before the second-half implosion that threatens to derail their bid for a fifth straight Premier League title.

“It’s a period that we’re going through at the minute, and the international break is probably coming at the right time,” City captain Kyle Walker told Sky Sports.

“It’s tough, (but) this is the time you show character, when you stick your wellies on and you go through the mud,” he added.

Second-placed City are five points behind leaders Liverpool, who beat Aston Villa 2-0 at Anfield just hours after the champions’ loss.

Injury issues have been key to City’s malaise, with Manuel Akanji and Nathan Ake fit enough only for the bench, while Ruben Dias and John Stones were not in the squad, meaning 19-year-old Jahmai Simpson-Pusey was given a first league start in central defence.

The makeshift backline cracked under pressure in the second half, leaving Guardiola to deal with the worst period of a glittering managerial career featuring six titles in eight years with City, as well as countless trophies during his spells at Barcelona and Bayern.

“It can always happen one time in a lifetime, right?” said Guardiola of his fourth consecutive defeat.

“Always there’s a first time. We’ve lost two games in the Premier League and we have to change it, get back to winning. We’re in the position that we are in the table.

“When the players come back, I don’t have any doubt that we will be back to our best.”

Guardiola had insisted he would solve City’s problems, but he has so far been unable to come up with the answer to their mounting crisis.

Hinting City might not be able to make it to five successive titles, Guardiola added: “Four defeats in a row. We have to change things quick.

“Maybe after seven years winning six Premier Leagues, maybe one year another team deserves it.”

Meanwhile, Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler said: “The subs made a big impact on the game.

“It’s always great to have a big squad, have subs who might be the game-changer, the match-winner.”

“Of course, it’s something special,” he added on the victory.

“Manchester City are one of the best teams in the world, Pep Guardiola is one of the best coaches in the world.” AFP, REUTERS