Premier League, Manchester City vs Manchester United | Pep Guardiola accepts blame after City’s collapse in derby: I’m not good enough

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola took full responsibility for his team’s continued struggles after a late collapse led to a 2-1 defeat against Manchester United in the Premier League on Sunday.

City had been leading until the 88th minute, when Bruno Fernandes equalised from the penalty spot. Just two minutes later, Amad Diallo stunned the reigning champions with a decisive goal, handing United a dramatic comeback victory.

The result deepens City’s alarming slump, as they have now secured just one win in their last 11 matches across all competitions—a crisis that has left fans, players, and pundits alike searching for answers.

“I don’t have a defence. I’m the boss, I’m the manager and I’m not good enough,” Guardiola said, as quoted by Reuters. “I have to find a solution and I don’t find a solution. It is as simple as that. I am not doing well, that is the truth.”

Guardiola, who had previously cited the relentless fixture schedule as a factor behind his team’s mounting injury list, chose not to lean on excuses in an emotional and introspective post-match press conference. Instead, he acknowledged the need for solutions to address the ongoing issues.

“(We were leading) 3-0 against Feyenoord at 75 minutes and we draw that (Champions League) game. Is that the schedule, the injuries? No. We have to win that game,” said Guardiola.

“Today we have to win that game because apart from Bruno Fernandes (with a late chance that the United captain put wide) nothing happened. So, we give it away again.

“If always it’s the same problem, it can be fixed. You say ‘Ah, it’s that player.’ It can be fixed: he doesn’t play. But it’s not that.”

Adding to City’s woes, they failed to register a single shot on target in the second half of the match. The defeat also marked an unwanted milestone: it is the latest point in a Premier League game that a reigning champion has squandered a lead and lost.

I’m sitting here because of what I have done in the past

Guardiola admitted that he was still in the job because of his previous achievements at City and would have got the sack if he was at any other club.

“I’m incredibly well paid to handle these situations, to handle the press conference, accept all the criticism, but I want to be honest, in one or two seasons, over a year, year and a half, we were able to lose (only) eight games,” Guardiola said.

“We were top of the league and the only unbeaten team in Europe and in one month and 10 days, we lost eight games. This is a big club and the club of course cannot accept it.”

“I am sitting here in this press conference because of what I have done in the past; otherwise in big clubs they don’t sustain a manager that way.

“I knew this would be a tough season but I didn’t expect it would be as hard as it is right now. I want it, desperately. But eight (losses) out of 11? I’m here to try and will try again and again. That is the reality.”

City next face Aston Villa away from home in the Premier League on December 21.