By The Independent (Sports) | Created at 2024-11-25 13:59:36 | Updated at 2024-11-25 16:54:21
2 hours ago
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Pep Guardiola has vowed not to change after the longest losing run of his managerial career as he insisted this is the time to double down on his principles.
Manchester City have suffered five consecutive defeats, their worst run since 2006, but Guardiola is adamant he will not rip up the blueprint that won him six Premier League titles and the 2023 Champions League.
City host Feyenoord in the Champions League after a 4-1 loss to Sporting Lisbon in their last European game, being knocked out of the Carabao Cup and a hat-trick of Premier League reverses, culminating in Tottenham’s 4-0 win at the Etihad on Saturday.
But Guardiola is determined to stay the same as he said City’s troubled spell would pass.
He said: “Just because this team won a lot, a lot, a lot for many, many, many years. I think in the situation, we have to go direct to our principles and change less more than ever.”
“What should I change? We are big believers in the process and the fundamentals we have to do. Injured players have to come back to their best form, players who have played a lot of minutes because of the injuries need rest, one good result can change our mind and believe.”
Guardiola said his immediate focus is simply on ending the losing run, rather than retaining the title he has won in the last four seasons.
"Do you think we're ready to win the Premier League? No. We need to win one game,” he said. “One good result can change our mind and believe deeply that when we are winning a lot this will pass and right now this shall pass.”
The City manager believes his team deserve patience after pointing out that the only way was down after reaching the heights they did.
He explained: “We come from there [top] so we can only go down if we lose. It is nice. I think we deserve some patience when we lose games. It will not be a big mess.”
Guardiola denied his team are too old. He has 12 players in his squad aged at least 29 and five in their thirties started against Tottenham.
He said: “It depends on the performance. There are players who are 30 and more than 30 who perform incredibly well. There are players who are 23 who perform not good. I don't see the age. A few months ago they were the same age and we won the Premier League, reached the Fa Cup final and were eliminated by Real Madrid in the Champions League.”
