Pep Guardiola speaking after his side’s loss. (Image: Sky Sports)
Pep Guardiola blamed Manchester City’s problems on the fitness issues of four of his key players after seeing his side hammered by Tottenham at the Etihad. Just two days after confirming he had agreed to extend his contract with the club through until 2027, the Spaniard saw his side beaten 4-0, a fifth successive defeat.
It means that if Liverpool beat Southampton tomorrow, City will be eight points off the top of the Premier League ahead of a trip to Anfield next week.
And afterwards, he cited the long-term absence of Rodri, as well as the recent injuries to John Stones, Jack Grealish, and Kevin de Bruyne, as a primary reason for their poor form.
“Of course Rodri is important but we knew that for many months. But Stones can only play 45 minutes. Jack has been injured many times. Kevin, two months and five months.”
England defender Stones did return to the starting XI, but after the home defence were pulled apart in the first 45 minutes, was replaced at the break by Nathan Ake. De Bruyne and Grealish meanwhile, both featured as late substitutes.
Guardiola has been vocal about the issue of players being called upfor international duty and picking up injuries while representing their country. And he also implied that the most recent break had denied his squad the chance to regroup.
Guardiola gets animated in the second half. (Image: Getty)
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“The players came back late from internationals,” he added. “There were a few reasons we’re not able to be consistent. Now the balance is not in the right moment. We have to do it, talk, and on Tuesday against Feyenoord have the chance to try.”
He also insisted his squad could turn around their form, and vowed to confront City’s current problems head-on. “Run away?” he said. “Absolutely not, we have to stand up more than ever. What will define us is when we fail, we stand up and face it.
“I don’t know what will happen this season, but not for one second will I not believe in these players. There is no team in the world that can sustain success for eight, nine, ten years in a row. Of course everything is not fine, but what we try to do is analyse it, let’s go to next game and see what happens.”
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