I’m not going to change – Pep Guardiola won’t sacrifice principles to end slump

Pep Guardiola has vowed not to change his approach as he bids to arrest Manchester City’s alarming slump in form.

The City boss also accepts his side were always likely to suffer a downturn in fortunes at some point but is confident they will produce a strong response.

The champions have lost their last five matches in all competitions, their worst run since 2006 and a spell unprecedented in Guardiola’s glittering managerial career.

Saturday’s defeat, a 4-0 thrashing by a Tottenham at the Etihad Stadium that ended a 52-game unbeaten home run, was particularly galling, but the City boss will not alter his tactical philosophy.

Guardiola said: “What should I change? If I should change in the first season maybe we would not win seven Premier Leagues in eight years – impossible. I am not going to change.

“The success we have had, we are big believers in the process and the fundamentals we have to do.

“What we have to believe is the players who are injured come back to their best form, the players who have played a lot of minutes because of the injuries get some rest and we get one good result which can change our mind.

“This shall pass. Nothing is eternal.”

Guardiola, who signed a contract extension through to the summer of 2027 last week, feels now is even the time to re-emphasise his approach.

City have won 18 trophies since the Spaniard took charge in 2016, including six Premier League titles, the Champions League and two FA Cups.

He said: “Because this team won a lot during many, many years, when this happens, we are thinking, ‘What is happening?’

“But in this situation we have to go more direct to our principles, don’t change much, less than ever.

“You have to be certain this is going to be (right), because at the end we had 26 shots against Spurs, we had more expected goals than them, we created a lot of chances.

“What we have to do is insist, create more and try to concede less. One day we’re going to win a game and our mind will be clear.

“I hope (it will be) Tuesday, if not Sunday. If not, the next one. But the desire is there to change it and we are going to try.”

Having set such high standards in recent years, Guardiola feels City deserve to be given time by their detractors to turn the situation around.

Speaking at a press conference to preview Tuesday’s Champions League game against Feyenoord, Guardiola said: “By our standards, it will be a bad season. We come from there (the top) so we can only go down if we lose.

“But it is nice. I think we deserve some patience when we lose games. It will not be a big mess.

“You are defending a legacy, tradition, success and that is so difficult to handle.

“If we don’t do it, we try to focus on short periods of time and win the next games. What I want is commitment from the players to still do what we have to do.

“We will congratulate the team that takes our crown because they deserve it, but not because we deliver it to them.

“We have to be ourselves in every training and every game. This is the only way I know.”