Pep Guardiola Refuses to Give Up on Manchester City's Season

Pep Guardiola remains committed to turning around Manchester City's struggling campaign, driven by his desire to please the club, fans, and stakeholders.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has admitted that his team's recent dismal form has given him a new appreciation for their past successes. During their unprecedented four-year reign as Premier League champions, Guardiola's City dominated English football, and the manager acknowledged that he has only now realized just how good they were.

Manchester City's poor run of results has seen them slump to seventh place in the Premier League table. Following their 1-1 draw with Everton on Boxing Day, City find themselves five points adrift of the top four and a staggering 14 points behind leaders Liverpool, who have a game in hand. This dismal stretch has included just one win in their last 13 games across all competitions, marking the worst run of results in Guardiola's illustrious managerial career.

“That makes me remember how good was the past,” he said after Thursday's match. “That's the truth, that has made me realise now what we have done, because sometimes you have injuries, and how many years we were incredibly, incredibly consistent.

“But, yeah, you expect a little bit down. We didn't expect (this) much, and the main reason is having seven, eight important injured players.

“But I see the team, the spirit in training, how focused they are. And we saw (progress in Saturday's) game, we saw it, but unfortunately we could not get the result that we wanted.”

Pep Guardiola issued a warning this week that Manchester City, the reigning champions, are in danger of failing to qualify for the Champions League this season, a scenario that would be a stunning reversal of fortunes.

Pep Guardiola, who recently signed a two-year contract extension, reiterated his commitment to restoring Manchester City to their former glory, despite the team's current struggles. “I will not give up. I want to do it. And with the situations that we have, we have to do it,” Guardiola stated, emphasizing his determination to turn things around. He also expressed his desire to meet the expectations of the club, fans, and those who care about City. “Of course I want it. Everybody wants it. I don't want to disappoint my people, in terms of the club, in terms of the fans, or the people who love this club.”

When asked if City's slump had increased his motivation to please others, Guardiola shook his head, suggesting that this desire is inherent in his nature as a football professional. “It has been since the arrival of my career as a football player, as a manager, I think every one of us in our job wants to please the people, we want to do good our jobs. That is undeniable. That is not a question mark, I would say.” Guardiola's response highlighted his intrinsic drive to succeed and make a positive impact.

The upcoming fixtures present Manchester City with an opportunity to reverse their fortunes. Sunday's match against Leicester City marks the beginning of a favorable run of four consecutive league games against teams in the bottom half of the table. This stretch could provide City with the momentum they need to climb the rankings and get their season back on track.