Manchester (England), Dec 2: For Pep Guardiola, the season starts now. The Manchester City manager displayed a whole range of emotions after his latest ordeal at Anfield that plunged the out-of-sorts English champions to an unlikely low. Make that seven matches without a win for a team which, not so long ago, never lost. That's all in the past for Guardiola, though. “Reset,” he said after a 2-0 loss to Liverpool in the Premier League on Sunday. “There's a feeling we start from here this season.” Premier League 2024–25: Manchester City Manager Pep Guardiola Shows Six Fingers in Response to ‘You’re Getting Sacked’ Jibe From Liverpool Fans.
How he intends to move on from the worst run of results in his managerial career remains to be seen. But, it all starts Wednesday with a home game against Nottingham Forest. “We are not used to this. Many, many things are happening. The teams are good and we can't handle it right now. I have to find the solution to be stable and solid These players gave me a chance to lead maybe the best years of my life. All I can do is find a solution — in the right moment, the club will make the decision what is needed for this club to continue to be there,” Guardiola said.
Indeed, Guardiola said he was taking some belief from recent training sessions. From the return to fitness of some players, such as Ruben Dias, Nathan Ake, Jack Grealish and Jeremy Doku. Maybe, from a second-half display against Liverpool that, while hardly vintage City, at least showed some spirit and resolve, even if Liverpool appeared happy to play on the break and never looked troubled. Pep Guardiola Responds to Provocative Comments From Liverpool Fans, Shows Six Fingers With Hand Gesture Depicting Number of Premier League Titles Won With Manchester City (Watch Video).
It felt like Guardiola was relieved to come away from Anfield with the damage limited and City's hardest fixture of the season out of the way. Yet, his comments will sound so hollow if City goes on to lose to — or even draw with — sixth-place Forest, which is only one point and a spot behind and has a manager in Nuno Espirito Santo who has enjoyed some surprise results at City with former club Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Guardiola's masterplan might include a change of role for Grealish, who could yet play more centrally as a No. 10 rather than as a winger. Or a first start since September for Kevin De Bruyne, who has had to settle for cameo roles off the bench as he struggles to fully overcome a groin injury. Getting some energy into his midfield will be important as the absence of Rodri and Mateo Kovacic continues to bite hard and be City's biggest issue. That might come in the form of a new signing next month unless Guardiola is working on a new plan on the training ground.
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