All good things must eventually come to an end.
Manchester City’s impressive 32-game unbeaten run in the Premier League has been snapped following a disappointing 2-1 defeat at the hands of a resurgent Bournemouth.
This remarkable streak was a club record, as they had not lost a game during this period.
The defeat on Saturday also saw City drop to second place in the Premier League, now trailing leaders Liverpool by two points.
“They [Bournemouth] were at another level today, and we couldn’t cope,” Guardiola stated.
“We knew we couldn’t match their intensity. We discussed it beforehand. It was an open match.
“We had opportunities towards the end, but I congratulate Bournemouth on their victory.”
Since taking over as City manager in 2016, Guardiola has overseen 488 matches, securing 360 wins, 60 draws, and 68 losses.
Before Saturday’s encounter with Bournemouth, City’s last defeat had occurred against Aston Villa on December 6, 2023.
During that unbeaten stretch, they recorded 26 victories and six draws, scoring a remarkable 80 goals while conceding just 26.
They accumulated 84 points and ultimately secured the Premier League title for the fourth consecutive season in 2023-24.
Arsenal, who finished second last season, were the next best team during City’s unbeaten run.
However, the Gunners suffered five losses in that time, scored five fewer goals, and collected just 71 points.
Liverpool ranked as the third-best performing team, earning one point less than Arsenal with 21 wins, seven draws, and four losses.
“We would have liked to continue defending that record, but considering how many games and months we went without losing… it’s an achievement,” Guardiola told Sky Sports when asked about their nearly year-long unbeaten streak.
As impressive as City’s form has been over the past 11 months, they still trail behind the all-time Premier League record.
Indeed, City currently sits fourth in terms of the longest unbeaten runs since the Premier League’s inception in 1992-93.
Arsenal holds the record, going 49 games without a loss between May 2003 and October 2004, spanning three seasons.
The Gunners completed the 2003-04 season undefeated, becoming the only club to achieve this feat and earning the nickname “The Invincibles.”
Liverpool ranks second with a 44-game unbeaten streak from January 2019 to February 2020, while Chelsea went 40 matches without defeat from October 2004 to October 2005.
´Players are not in optimal condition.
Guardiola stated that he had only 13 fit players following Wednesday’s 2-1 Carabao Cup defeat against Tottenham.
The Spaniard named a strong starting eleven for the trip to Bournemouth, including Erling Haaland, Ederson, Phil Foden, Ilkay Gundogan, and Bernardo Silva.
However, the bench appeared weak, featuring young players Jahmai Simpson-Pusey, Jacob Wright, James McAtee, and Nico O’Reilly.
Due to the limited options available, Guardiola made only two substitutions at the Vitality Stadium.
Defender Ruben Dias, who limped off during the match against Spurs, was not included in the matchday squad, although Manuel Akanji and Nathan Ake started despite carrying injuries.
Full-back Kyle Walker made his first start for the club since September 28.
“Ruben [Dias] will be out until the international break,” Guardiola said.
“Manu [Akanji] and Nathan [Ake] made an incredible effort to be present in such a demanding game, and so did Kyle [Walker], who hadn’t trained for 18 or 19 days.
“They are players who are not in optimal condition, yet they put in an incredible effort to be here.”
Kevin de Bruyne was named as an unused substitute after being included in the matchday squad for the first time since September 18.