Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola remains optimistic that his team can return to their dominant form once key players recover, despite their current struggles.
The reigning Premier League champions have lost six of their past seven matches across all competitions, leaving them 11 points adrift of league leaders Liverpool. This downturn is a stark contrast for a team that has won six of the last seven Premier League titles, including the past four consecutively.
Speaking ahead of Wednesday’s home match against Nottingham Forest, Pep Guardiola expressed confidence in City’s ability to recover. “With all the squad this season, we’ll be close to the level that we reached last season,” he said during Tuesday’s pre-match press conference.
City’s season has been marred by injuries, including the long-term absence of Ballon d’Or winner Rodri. Other key players, such as Kyle Walker, Jack Grealish, Kevin De Bruyne, Mateo Kovacic, and Ruben Dias, have also faced time on the sidelines.
Despite a 2-0 loss to Liverpool on Sunday, Guardiola described the team’s performance as “magnificent.” He noted that City are just two points behind second-placed Arsenal and insisted the team is not far from regaining its consistency.
Guardiola hinted at potential reinforcements in the January transfer window, stating the club would discuss the matter internally.
Addressing the goalkeeper situation, Guardiola confirmed Ederson remains the first-choice keeper despite being benched for the Liverpool game in favor of Stefan Ortega. The Brazilian was dropped following an error in last week’s 3-3 draw against Feyenoord. “Ederson number one, Stefan number two. But maybe Stefan continues. We’ll see tomorrow and the next games,” he said.
Guardiola also appealed to City’s fans to rally behind the team. “Many, many good moments we’ve lived together,” he said. “They know that we need absolute support because all of us, the players especially, are human beings.”
Nottingham Forest, currently sixth in the league and one point behind City, will visit the Etihad on Wednesday in a critical fixture for Guardiola’s side.
