Pep Guardiola dismisses ‘totally unfair reason’ for crisis; makes ‘doubts’ admission before Everton

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has dismissed a “completely unfair reason” for his side’s continued slump as he tries to remain “positive”.

Man City go into their Boxing Day game at the Etihad against Everton in dire form. They have won just one of their last 12 games across all competitions.

During this run they have left the Carabao Cup and the likelihood of Guardiola’s side, who have been eliminated from the Champions League in the group stage, have risen. They are also 17th in the Premier League form table and 12 points behind table toppers Liverpool, who have a game in hand.

Man City look to return to winning ways against Everton, who are unbeaten in three Premier League games after back-to-back draws against Arsenal and Chelsea.

Ahead of this game, Guardiola insisted he is “positive” that Man City will bounce back from this ongoing crisis as a solution will be found.

“None. I am so positive about it,” said Guardiola.

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“Of course there are doubts whether a decision is not good or we have to do this or that, but I am so positive. We make the ordinary into the extraordinary in the past.

“People started at the beginning of the season saying ‘City are going to win the Premier League in November’. People think winning is ordinary and winning when it’s something extraordinary.

“Now it’s a bit the other way around, because it’s extraordinary to lose a lot of games. Some of them couldn’t have happened, we played more than well enough to (take points). It happens for a reason.”

“Even when we won, I didn’t take it for granted.

“Every situation in life you make new experiences and know what you could have done better and what you could do better in the future.”

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Guardiola has also refused to blame his players for Man City’s poor form and performances.

“It would be easy for me to say the reason is the players. It would be completely unfair,” Guardiola continued.

“They tried and they couldn’t, but it happened because of many situations and they suffer and they will do it to come back.

“It would be easy to clean my face. They tried and we are not able to do it together.

“There are many reasons. I could say for myself that the reason is Pep. We have won six in seven years, why should it happen now?

“There are many things since the start of the season that have not gone well. Most of the power is ours and we have to fix it, that’s the point.”