If Pep Guardiola didn’t agree with Bernardo Silva that Manchester City are in a ‘dark place’ after a third defeat in a row, maybe four has changed his mind.
Guardiola usually dreads the international break because it disrupts rhythm and adds to the chance of injuries to his players. This one can’t have come quickly enough. “I think everyone needs it. Clean our heads will be good for all of us,” he said.
City are in unchartered waters, and this group of serial winners are suddenly losing without any idea of turning things around. Guardiola won’t make excuses, yet he also knows how much things will be different when he has a full squad available.
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“Ruben will come back, hopefully John Stones come back and hopefully the other players,” he said. “Jeremy Doku has some muscular problems in his quads. Doesn’t feel good, he cannot run at full speed.”
He had previously name-checked Jack Grealish as another ‘injured’ player, and conceded that Nathan Ake and Manu Akanji were not fit enough to play at Brighton. Rodri and Oscar Bobb are long-term issues while Kevin De Bruyne and Kyle Walker are also not fully fit. Bring all those names back into a matchday squad and City wouldn’t have lost the games they have in the last 11 days.
But they have, and Guardiola conceded that ‘maybe after seven years winning six Premier Leagues, maybe one year another team deserve it.’ Defeatist – not quite. He is simply trying to temper expectations and remind everyone that City’s successes have been out of the ordinary rather than something that is to be expected.
“I was a football player, many times I lost a lot of times four, five, six in a row,” he reflected. “I never expect different for the fact that we won in the past that we are special. People can believe that but it’s not true. You can lose four games in different competitions. You can lose it.”
Guardiola is generally happy with performances and knows how much the injuries have stopped them in their tracks. Liverpool moved five points ahead of them in the Premier League, however, and suddenly the champions have an uphill battle. They face Spurs and then a daunting trip to Anfield immediately after the break.
And Guardiola cannot guarantee that his side will be able to turn things around with one of their trademark winter winning runs.
“Hopefully in the future we come back. And if we don’t come back, we are able to learn from it,” he continued. “And if we can’t win, we work to come back. That is what it’s about – don’t be complacent when you win a lot. It makes us believe how difficult it was and how nice it will be when we win again.
“I don’t take for granted, before the season [they say] ‘ahh City is going to win. It’s easy.’ Right now we’re not our best, its obvious. but still it’s November. Hopefully come back and step by step we will do it. The league, I had the feeling every game will be tough for all teams.”
Guardiola had previously pointed to Liverpool as an example of how injuries can tear apart a winning machine.
“Liverpool with Jurgen [Klopp] after winning Champions League and Premier League they had Van Dijk injured for six months, one year, a lot of injuries and they went to the Europa League. 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. 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.”
City know more than anyone that they are still firmly in title contention but things must improve on the injury front quickly. Maybe the threat of Europa League could be what they need to spark a comeback after the international break.
