Pep Guardiola addresses suggestions that he has lost control of the Manchester City dressing room.

Pep Guardiola has dismissed claims that he has lost control of the Manchester City dressing room, as he faces what he describes as the toughest challenge of his managerial career. City head into the Manchester derby at the Etihad on the back of a poor run, with seven defeats in their last 10 games. To put that into perspective, Guardiola’s previous seven losses with City were spread over 105 matches.

Acknowledging the severity of the situation, Guardiola admitted the sudden decline caught him off guard but remains resolute, insisting his team is still united. He emphasized that he would step down immediately if he ever felt the players were no longer following his leadership.

“The most important thing is what’s happening inside the team—how the players and staff feel,” Guardiola said. “If I ever feel I’ve lost the team and they’re no longer running or following me, I wouldn’t stay another minute. But that’s not where we are right now. In fact, I’m more committed than ever.”

Guardiola cautioned fans that the team’s struggles might continue before they improve, urging patience as they navigate this challenging period. “In the past, going a whole season with seven defeats wasn’t something that happened to us. But football and life are unpredictable. A month ago, when we were top of the league and unbeaten, I wouldn’t have believed it if someone told me this would happen. Yet here we are, and we might even lose more games,” he admitted.

The City boss also conceded that their hopes of a fifth consecutive Premier League title have likely slipped away, with City trailing Liverpool by eight points after playing a game more. Reflecting on their struggles, Guardiola remarked, “We don’t have a defense right now, and we’ve lost too many games. All the criticism is fair and deserved.”