Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola admitted his side cannot lose games in the manner they did in going down 1-0 at Southampton on Sunday if they are to take the Premier League title back from Liverpool next season.
City lost for the
ninth time in the league this season as Che Adams’s spectacular first
Southampton goal condemned Guardiola’s men to defeat despite enjoying 74
percent possession and 26 shots at goal.
“We played really
well, but it was a little bit the résumé of this season. We make one mistake,
they punish us,” said Guardiola.
“We lost a lot of
games and losing a lot of games you cannot compete to win Premier Leagues.
“We need to improve
because it happened many times this season.”
Just four days ago
City showed what they are capable of when at their best by thrashing
newly-crowned champions Liverpool 4-0.
But defeat on the
south coast sees the Reds regain their 23-point lead at the top of the table.
Guardiola, though,
insisted his plan to get back on top does not involve a summer spending spree
on new players.
“No, I don’t think
so,” added the Catalan when asked if new signings were the key to a change in
fortunes.
“I think we played
good. The desire, the character to play until the end was there, we put
Southampton with 10 players in the penalty spot, so we did really well.
“When you review
the games and the chances we created you cannot do more. I like the way we
played but it is not enough.”
Adams has endured a
nightmare run in front of goal since a £15 million ($18.7 million) move from
Birmingham a year ago.
But on his 30th
appearance for Southampton, he caught City goalkeeper Ederson stranded well
outside his area from fully 40 yards out.
Guardiola had made
six changes from the rout over Liverpool with Kevin De Bruyne among those
dropping to the bench.
Even without the
brilliant Belgian, City still created enough chances to win comfortably but
were only denied by some inspired goalkeeping by Alex McCarthy and wayward
finishing.
Gabriel Jesus has
failed to take his chance in the absence of the injured Sergio Aguero in recent
weeks and blazed over with the goal gaping from Joao Cancelo’s cross before
Fernandinho struck the post and McCarthy made the first of a string of saves
from David Silva’s powerful header.
City continued to
dominate after the break as McCarthy spread himself brilliantly to save from
David Silva before Bernardo Silva’s goalbound effort was deflected wide.
De Bruyne and the in-form
Phil Foden were introduced on the hour mark, but still the hosts’ defence held
firm to keep City scoreless for just the fourth time this season.
“When you want to
take something against such an opponent you have to run more, sprint more,
fight more, be brave and also have a little bit of luck,” said Southampton
coach Ralph Hasenhuttl.
Saints were
marooned in the bottom three when the sides last met in a 2-1 City win in
November, a week after they suffered a Premier League record 9-0 home defeat to
Leicester.
But the Southampton
board’s backing of Hasenhuttl, who recently signed a contract extension to
2024, has been fully justified as the Austrian’s side climb to 13th
and could yet be the beneficiaries of City’s misfortune.
Southampton are
just five points off eighth place which may be enough for a place in next
season’s Europa League should City’s appeal against a two-season ban from
European competition not be successful later this month.
