Pep Guardiola Sounds Alarm Over Man City's Leaky Defence Ahead of Sunderland Clash
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola expresses concern over his team's defensive vulnerabilities ahead of Saturday's home match against Sunderland, despite recent wins.
“All I can say, in my humble opinion, they deserve where they are...”
Manchester City's recent back-to-back Premier League wins have given them a boost in their bid to catch up with leaders Arsenal, but manager Pep Guardiola is worried about their leaky defense ahead of Saturday's home match against Sunderland. City beat Leeds United 3-2 last weekend and then came from behind to win 5-4 at Fulham, where they conceded three goals in just 21 minutes after taking a four-goal lead.
Pep Guardiola's concerns are valid, as City have conceded 16 goals, more than any other team in the top six. He knows they need to improve defensively, saying, “We have to fix these kind of things but not lose what we are... we have to be more solid.”
Sunderland, currently sixth in the league, will be a tough opponent, having beaten Chelsea and drawn with Arsenal and Liverpool. Guardiola expects a challenging game, acknowledging Sunderland's quality and fearless approach.
“How many shots on target had Leeds? Three and they scored two. Fulham. Five? Six? So the average of what they shoot and we concede is high. We have to improve, of course we have to improve,” Guardiola told reporters on Friday.
“All the goals were (from) the edge and we didn't have players there to defend. We will talk... I don't like to concede six goals in two games but we are the team who scored the most and we have to build from that.”
Pep 💬 (On Sunderland) All I can say from my opinion is that they deserve to be where they are. When you are promoted and you play well for five games, okay, momentum. It can happen. But for 14 fixtures in the Premier League with opponents like everyone suffers to get results in…
— Manchester City (@ManCity) December 5, 2025
Manchester City's impressive goal-scoring record is being overshadowed by their leaky defense. With 32 goals scored, they're leading the league, thanks to Erling Haaland's 15 goals. However, they've conceded 16 goals, the most among top-six teams.
Manager Pep Guardiola acknowledges the issue, saying, “We have to fix these kind of things but not lose what we are... we have to be more solid.” He's aware that Sunderland, currently sixth in the league, will be a tough opponent, having beaten Chelsea and drawn with Arsenal and Liverpool. Sunderland's impressive form, with only one loss in their last seven matches, makes them a challenging team.
Manager's Preview:
— Manchester City (@ManCity) December 5, 2025
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Guardiola praised Sunderland's performance, saying, “All I can say, in my humble opinion, they deserve where they are.” He's expecting a tough game, given Sunderland's fearless approach and talented players like Enzo Le Fée.
“All I can say, in my humble opinion, they deserve where they are,” the manager said.
“When you play newly promoted, three games, four games, five games, OK, momentum. It can happen. But 14 fixtures in the Premier League to take results and be in that position, they deserve it. A good challenge for us.”
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