Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has urged his team to ‘reset and start from scratch’ following a 2-0 defeat to Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday, marking City’s sixth defeat in their last seven games.
The defeat leaves Man City 11 points adrift of Liverpool, who have widened their Premier League lead over fifth-placed City, and nine points clear of Arsenal and Chelsea. Liverpool’s dominant form under new manager Arne Slot continues to impress, with Cody Gakpo opening the scoring early on and Mohamed Salah sealing the victory with a late penalty.
“I congratulate Liverpool, they deserve the victory. We accept the situation and will build from this,” said Guardiola. “We’ll reset and start from zero. Let’s see where we are at the end of the season.”
Liverpool fans mocked Guardiola with chants of “You’re getting sacked in the morning” as the game neared its conclusion. However, Guardiola responded by holding up six fingers, symbolizing each of his Premier League titles in the past seven seasons.
Since taking over from Jurgen Klopp, Arne Slot has rejuvenated Liverpool, turning them into a dominant force and potentially ending the title race before Christmas. “I didn’t expect this start,” admitted Slot. “Jurgen left the team in a great position, but winning against such tough opposition isn’t something anyone could predict. Arsenal, Chelsea, and City are capable of bouncing back, so we must stay sharp.”
City’s poor form adds pressure on Guardiola despite his contract extension until 2027. The 53-year-old has hinted he won’t overstay his welcome if results don’t improve. Yet, he remains confident, pointing to past triumphs, including title wins in 2018/19 and 2021/22, both achieved by narrowly edging out Liverpool.
The loss also continued Guardiola’s struggles at Anfield, where City have suffered six defeats in 10 visits. Their only victory came in 2021 during a match played behind closed doors due to the pandemic.
City’s title hopes hang in the balance, while Liverpool’s remarkable run under Slot shows no signs of slowing.
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