Pep Guardiola admitted he is “not good enough” following Manchester City’s latest setback in Sunday’s derby.
City suffered a dramatic collapse at the Etihad Stadium, with Amad Diallo scoring a 90th-minute winner for United, just moments after Bruno Fernandes equalized 1-1 from the penalty spot.
The decisive penalty came after a misjudged back-pass from makeshift left-back Matheus Nunes, which left Ederson exposed.
Reflecting on the loss, Guardiola took full responsibility, marking it as City’s eighth defeat in 11 games.
“I’m the boss, I’m the manager. I have to find solutions, but I’m not finding them,” he said post-match.
“This is a big club, and when you lose eight out of 11 games, something is clearly wrong,” Guardiola said. “You can blame the tough schedule or player injuries, but no—it’s on me.
“I’m the manager, and I’m not good enough. It’s as simple as that. I need to find a way to communicate with the players, to train them in how we need to play and press. Right now, I’m not doing well. That’s the truth.”
Guardiola signed a new two-year contract in November, emphasizing his commitment to the club during a challenging period. However, since then, the situation has worsened, raising questions about how and when he can turn things around.
“I’m here, and I take responsibility,” he added. “It would be easy to point fingers at a specific action, player, or situation, but football is a team game.
“I’m fully convinced of what I’m saying: I’m not good enough at the moment to help them find peace in their minds and bodies. I want it desperately. I’m here to try, and I will keep trying, but this is the reality.”
Guardiola concluded: “I knew this season would be tough, but I didn’t expect it to be this difficult.”