Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola says he ‘will not step back’ from the challenge of turning his side’s fortunes around after they suffered defeat at the AMEX against Brighton and Hove Albion, Soccernet.football reports.
City initially went ahead through Erling Haaland but a second-half comeback from the Seagulls secured all three points, condemning the defending champions to a fourth consecutive defeat in all competitions.
Guardiola’s men have recently finished second-best against Tottenham Hotspur, Bournemouth, and Sporting CP. Nevertheless, the Spaniard remains determined to fight for a turnaround.
“Normally people lose games,” said Guardiola as reported by The Athletic.
“Always a first time in your life. This is my challenge, our challenge. I like to face it. I will not step back at all, less than ever. More than ever I want to do it and we will try again.
“When we lose, I am here, but it looks like my arguments are excuses. This is how I feel. When I play bad, I’m the first to say I don’t like it, but I don’t have that feeling.”
Manchester City have won six Premier League titles in the last seven years, clinching the crown four times in the last four seasons. Guardiola believes fans and pundits are eager to see their era of dominance come to an end, but the City boss maintains that his side will not give away the title.
He added: “[Our era coming to an end] is what the people want. It’s normal, we won a lot, it happens. I’d like all the squad to fight and if someone [wins] it, okay, congratulations. Not give it away because we are not there. I have that feeling, we are not there, we cannot do it every three days with the situation we have.
“We need [players] to do it but no we don’t have it. Is the era going to come to an end, for sure, it’s not eternal. For the next 56 years City are not going to win every game in the Premier League, that’s for sure, but try to be there, why not, this is what I would like.
“I see the players training and the way they started in the first half and started the game in Lisbon and said, ‘We are going to do it again and again’ but the reality is it is not enough.
“In this business you have to win games and we are not winning games. Of course we have to change it and the players know it, but that will help us to be more focused, have the desire to come back for the players to do it, and we will see. What is going to happen is going to happen.”