Pep Guardiola admits the buck stops with him as Manchester City bid to arrest their dramatic slump in form.
The champions crashed to a fifth straight defeat in all competitions – something not experienced by the club in more than 18 years – as they were thrashed 4-0 by Tottenham at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday.
The loss, which was also a third in succession in the Premier League and shattered a 52-game unbeaten home run, damaged the club’s hopes of winning an unprecedented fifth title in a row.
It is the worst run of Guardiola’s glittering managerial career and the City boss, who extended his contract until 2027 last week, is determined to turn the situation around.
The Catalan said: “When we start to lose I say to the people I have to find a way, I have to. It’s my duty, my responsibility, to find a way to be more consistent, that our game will be better and win games.
“This is what we have to do.”
City have been hampered by injuries to key players in recent weeks, particularly by the absence of Ballon d’Or-winning midfielder Rodri, who has been sidelined for the remainder of the season.
Problems have emerged at both ends of the field with a lack of clean sheets – just five in 19 outings this term – and a shortage of goals being scored on occasions, like Saturday, when the prolific Erling Haaland has an off-day.
Guardiola said: “We don’t expect to lose important players but it’s happened and you have to find a way. We have to find other abilities.
“I don’t think we didn’t create enough chances. We created a lot of chances, clear ones at 0-0, 0-1, 0-2.
“Of course we want a lot of players to score but it’s happened now.
“I know at the Etihad when we are there and we score goals our momentum is there, but now we are not solid enough. That is the truth.
“In both sides normally we are solid but we concede the goals. Now in both sides we are not good enough.
“In these situations, what do you have do to? Keep going my friends, keep going.
“We have done it in the past – not in terms of results being as bad as now – but we have done it and we face the situation and move forward.”
