Pep Guardiola smiles through taunts as Manchester City forget how to win

LIVERPOOL – Taunted by the Kop with chants of “getting sacked in the morning”, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola afforded himself a wry smile and held up six fingers to remind the ecstatic Liverpool fans of how many English Premier League titles he has won.

It was an unforgettable moment on Dec 1 on Merseyside which could spell the end of City’s recent domination of the English top tier.

Liverpool cruised to a 2-0 victory with goals from Cody Gakpo and Mohamed Salah against a struggling City – to move 11 points clear of the champions from the past four seasons and nine ahead of closest challengers Arsenal and Chelsea.

City looked bereft of energy and ideas as they were comprehensively outplayed by Arne Slot’s side, managing only two shots on target. It was their fourth successive Premier League defeat and sixth in seven in all competitions and they are sitting fifth in the table.

Guardiola, who has ripped up the record books since arriving at City, is reaching unwanted milestones.

Before Dec 1, he had never lost four league games in a row in his glittering coaching career. And while he has always found solutions to every problem, his magic touch has deserted him.

There is zero chance City’s owners would dispense with one of the greatest football managers in history, especially as he recently agreed on a two-year extension to his contract. But he does find himself in uncharted territory.

“I didn’t expect them to chant that, maybe I deserve to be sacked,” the Spaniard said. “I didn’t expect that, but it’s fine. When you win, you laugh. When you lose, they laugh, and you have to accept it.

“But I’m practical. I’m not depressed. When I think I cannot do it, we’ll talk with the club, but I feel that I want to do it. Life is not always perfect. Now we are not as strong as we were, that is a reality.”

While City are clearly missing influential midfielder Rodri, among others, no one could have predicted quite how one player’s serious injury could have completely derailed Guardiola’s winning machine.

It took them 39 minutes to even have a goal attempt at Anfield, with striker Erling Haaland a virtual spectator.

City also looked ponderous at the back and the way they conceded the penalty for Liverpool’s second goal, scored by Salah, was comical.

With games coming thick and fast, there is little time for City to feel sorry for themselves. They face high-flying Nottingham Forest on Dec 4, travel to Crystal Palace on Dec 7 and then have a crucial Champions League clash with Juventus on Dec 11.

“I said before this game that we weren’t in a position to think about targets but the season is long,” Guardiola said.

“We have to think about making results and then some players will come back and then we’ll be better and we’ll believe, maybe. There are many things to fight for and we’re going to try.

“These players have given me the chance to live maybe the best years of my life. All I can do is be here to try and find a solution.”

City defender Ruben Dias, culpable for Liverpool’s second goal, said it was not the easiest period for the club, but added that the character of the squad would see them emerge from a rut.

“Now it’s just about Nottingham Forest and to break it (the run),” he said. “Football is the perfect example of life, sometimes life seems easy but it slaps you in the face and football is the perfect example of that.”

However, former Liverpool and England defender Jamie Carragher warned: “It’s a mini crisis for Manchester City... I actually think they might have a fight on their hands for the top four.

“I look at Arsenal, Chelsea and the way they are looking right now and I think it will be difficult for Man City to finish above them, if they don’t go into the market in January.” REUTERS