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‘I am not good enough’: Pep Guardiola makes bold claim after Manchester derby defeat

This isn't the Pep we're used to seeing.

Danny Jones - 16th December 2024

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola clearly took defeat in the derby hard as he came out to make that bold claim that he is “not good enough” in his post-match interview.

Guardiola looked like he was on course to steer Man City back towards the right direction with just a few minutes to go in the 195th Manchester derby on Sunday night, with an albeit narrow 1-0 lead over local rivals United who certainly haven’t been enjoying their best season either.

However, in case you’ve been living under a rock, the Premier League champions didn’t hang on and thanks to a late penalty from captain Bruno Fernandes and an even later goal by Amad Diallo who actually won the spot-kick and was tenacious all game, the game ended 2-1.

Speaking to the media after the full-time whistle, Pep summed things up by saying simply: “We have no defence [for the recent run of results]” before adding, “I’m not good enough, I’m not doing well.”

"I'm the boss, I'm the manager and I'm not good enough."

Pep Guardiola in his post match press conference after the Manchester derby defeat 🎙️ pic.twitter.com/EUOW1Yr5Rm
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) December 15, 2024

As former City fullback turned Sky Sports pundit Micah Richards said after the game, Guardiola was clearly trying to take the brunt of the pressure away from the players but did insist that as the coach he is tasked with “finding the solution” and, unfortunately for the Blues, he doesn’t have one right now.

“I’m not good enough. I am the boss, the manager, I have to find solutions and so far I haven’t. That’s the reality”, Pep reiterated. “We want to play better, create chances. But at the moment it’s not possible.”

“The results are not good, the game was not exceptional. I know the situation, I understand but [this is the reality].” Not only has the Catalan coach now lost five games in a row for the first time in his career but that’s now just one win in the last 11 games for City (eight losses and two draws).

The 53-year-old also went on to argue that it cannot be “the same problems” that fans and pundits have been arguing as he has already taken steps to adjust tactics and rotate the squad but the issues are still prevailing regardless.

The absence of Rodri is one that they’ve still been unable to circumvent; even with the return of other key players from injury, they just don’t look the same team without the Ballon d’Or winner and Pep doesn’t look the same man either.

Fans grow concerned as Pep appears covered in cuts and bruises after Man City blow 3-goal lead

Alarm bells have already been raised over Pep’s stress levels.

It goes without saying that as one of the most successful and multi-record-breaking football managers in history, this admittedly poor patch very much doesn’t suddenly mean that Pep ‘isn’t good enough’, though it’s hard to see how he’s going to pull them out of the mire.

As for the new United boss, Rúben Amorim, that’s two wins in his last two against the City boss and a first Manchester derby victory at the first time of asking.

The Red Devils were also in dire need of a statement win against strong opposition as they continue to try and navigate the early storms new managers often face and besides beating league leaders Liverpool, scalps don’t get much bigger than City.

You can watch all that late drama and the rest of the highlights from the Manchester derby down below: