Bernardo Silva revealed Manchester Metropolis are “in a dark place” after their 4-1 thrashing by the hands of Sporting within the Champions League, however Pep Guardiola insists he’s prepared for the problem and prepared to combat as he bids to show round his facet’s fortunes.
Ruben Amorim endeared himself to Manchester United followers earlier than even arriving at Previous Trafford by engineering a surprising 4-1 defeat of Manchester Metropolis with Sporting in Lisbon.
The Portuguese was taking cost of his closing house match as Sporting boss earlier than formally beginning work as United’s head coach and watched as his facet got here from behind to thrash Guardiola’s facet.
Metropolis took an early lead by way of Phil Foden however Sporting hit again with a hat-trick that included two penalties from Viktor Gyokeres and a strike by Maximiliano Araujo.
It was the primary time Metropolis – for whom Erling Haaland missed a penalty – have misplaced three video games in succession since 2018, excluding a later sequence in 2021 that included the Neighborhood Protect.
Talking after Metropolis’s heaviest defeat since 2020, Silva mentioned: “It is disappointing as a result of we’re a bit in a darkish place proper now. Every little thing seems to be going within the fallacious method.
“Even once we are taking part in nicely we do not rating our possibilities and we concede too simply.
“We need to get better very quickly otherwise it will be very difficult to come back from these losses.
“It is troublesome to seek out causes for what is occurring to us. It simply seems like this staff goes the fallacious method now.
“Our injured players need to come back because we need them and it’s just not good enough tonight.”
Pep: I do not agree with Bernardo
Supervisor Pep Guardiola had a extra optimistic outlook and insisted he was relishing the problem of bouncing again.
The Metropolis boss, who takes his facet to Brighton on Saturday, mentioned: “I don’t agree with him. We are not in the dark side.
“We performed actually dangerous towards Bournemouth however actually good right here. The one remorse is conceding the third and fourth – the penalties weren’t needed.
“We knew it would be a tough season at the start and this is what it is. I like it, I love it, I want to face it and lift my players. Life is like this. We continue.
“What ought to we do? We return to Manchester and put together for the sport at Brighton. I will not quit, that is for positive.”
‘We we’re not secure sufficient’
After making a strong begin to the season, Metropolis have been overwhelmed by Tottenham within the League Cup final week earlier than dropping at Bournemouth on Saturday within the Premier League.
Their third straight defeat comes after a number of accidents to key gamers, together with Rodri, Ruben Dias, John Stones, Jack Grealish and Kevin De Bruyne, who was solely match sufficient for a quick cameo look from the bench on the Jose Alvalade stadium.
Metropolis handed a primary senior begin to 19-year-old centre-back Jahmai Simpson-Pusey amid their damage disaster and Guardiola admitted the adjustments he is having to make in his defence are inflicting points.
“We had a fantastic first half, now we are struggling to score. We create and concede when the opponents don’t do much,” Guardiola mentioned.
“At 2-1 down, many things can happen. Emotionally we were not stable enough and in this competition you have to be stable.
“Sporting made a superb second, they have been quick and scored. It will probably occur.”
Pep able to combat
Pressed on the explanations for Metropolis’s collapse and whether or not defensive adjustments are an issue, Guardiola added: “Maybe. When you play lots of games you cannot play the same line-up and same back four. We have had these problems for day one but it is what it is.
“It’s soccer. Possibly what we lived previously is the exception. Generally you’ll be able to lose. We have been within the place the place they punished us for the few they do and we struggled for the possibilities we had.”
City now head to Brighton on Saturday in the Premier League live on Sky Sports as they look to avoid a fourth straight loss, and Guardiola is up for the fight as he looks to get his side back to winning ways in the Premier League.
“Now could be the troublesome second when it comes to outcomes however I need to be right here. I need to combat and never quit,” he said.
“I like this problem as a supervisor I’ve forward of me. Who needs to observe us can be there.”
‘No disaster at Man Metropolis’
Clinton Morrison on Soccer Particular:
“There’s no crisis.
“Within the Carabao Cup defeat to Tottenham he left Erling Haaland on the bench and Guardiola mentioned afterwards they carried out nicely.
“The Bournemouth defeat, you are worried that they are a bit open but I wouldn’t say there’s a crisis at Man City.
“In opposition to Sporting, it might have been a distinct scoreline. Within the first half, they needed to take their possibilities. you need to rating if you end up on prime.
“However, they are far too open at the moment but there’s no Dias and no Stones. Defensively they weren’t good enough but they missed so many chances.
“When Metropolis lose a few video games there’s at all times talks of a disaster however they nonetheless have the very best supervisor on the planet. It’s a fear how open they’re however come they finish of the season I nonetheless see them profitable trophies.”