Pep Guardiola believes his past record has saved him from the sack at Manchester City.
But the City manager insists he will not “run away” and accepts the responsibility to turn around the club’s current poor run rests on his shoulders.
City had lost five games in succession – their worst run since 2006 – before suffering further calamity on Tuesday when they surrendered a 3-0 lead in the last 15 minutes to draw with Feyenoord.
PEP 💬 It’s the end of November so many months to play, we have to learn and learn and learn. Succeeding is how many times you stand up when you fall. pic.twitter.com/FnOr35dsjG
— Manchester City (@ManCity) November 29, 2024
With the champions now facing a tough trip to Premier League leaders Liverpool on Sunday, Guardiola recognises the pressure and the stakes are high.
The Spaniard, who has won 18 trophies in his time at the Etihad Stadium and signed a two-year contract extension only last week, said: “At this football club you have to win and if you don’t win, you will be in trouble.
“I know the people say, ‘Why is Pep not in trouble, why is Pep not sacked?’ What we have done the last eight years is why I have this margin.
“The people rely on me, the hierarchy, the people. It is not normal in the big clubs to do the results we have but we have to accept it.
“What’s for sure I want to stay, I want to do it. But the moment I feel I am not positive for the club another one will come. It has to be.”
City have been hampered by a raft of injuries this season, most pertinently to midfield linchpin and Ballon d’Or winner Rodri, who is expected to miss the remainder of the campaign.
Guardiola said: “We lost five games, drew the last one when we should have won, but it happens in football sometimes.
“A lot can happen and it’s happened. Don’t think much, go to the principles and when you live it, accept it – accept it and challenge it.
“No complaining, no blaming, no pointing – don’t run away from your responsibility. I have absolutely all on my shoulders. I have to and I want it.
“I want the opportunity to try. I don’t want to run. I want to be there and rebuild the team in many aspects from now on until the end of the season and next season. I want to continue up there.
“It’s not nice to live, of course it’s not nice, but what do you expect? That everything is red carpet?
“It’s not an excuse that Rodri is not there. What are we going to do, cry all the time that Rodri is not there or that the four central defenders have not been there for a long time in the last month? I have to find a solution and the way to do it. I’m trying every day.”
Despite all his past successes, which include six Premier League titles in seven years and a Champions League triumph with City, Guardiola feels he now has to prove himself all over again.
He said: “It’s easy when you are 10, 12 games in a row, everyone is fit and everyone is in their prime and everyone is 26, 27, 28, everything is going well.
“That is easy. Now, not. I have to prove myself now.
“We will be back, I know that. I don’t know when. That is the truth.”
City would fall 11 points behind Liverpool if they lose at Anfield, where they have not won in front of a crowd since 2003.
Guardiola said: “In the situation we have it’s not realistic to think about big targets. The situation is to think about one game and build the momentum to continue.”
