by Pep Guardiola has vowed not to change his approach as he attempts to halt Manchester City’s alarming decline in form.
The City boss also admits his side are always likely to suffer a dip in fortunes at some point, but he is confident they will produce a strong response.
The champions have lost their last five matches in all competitions, their worst run since 2006 and an unprecedented period in Guardiola’s glittering managerial career.
PEP 💬 We firmly believe in the process and the fundamentals that we must implement. All injured players are returning to form. Rest, come back, get a result and change our beliefs… When we were winning I thought this too would pass and now I think this… pic.twitter.com/Fe9STKIVZu
-Manchester City (@ManCity) November 25, 2024
Saturday’s defeat, a 4-0 defeat to Tottenham at the Etihad Stadium which ended a 52-match unbeaten home run, was particularly galling, but the City boss will not change his tactical philosophy.
Guardiola said: “What should I change? If I were to change from the first season, maybe we wouldn’t win seven Premier Leagues in eight years – impossible. I’m not going to change.
“The success that we have had, we strongly believe in the process and the fundamental principles that we must implement.
“What we have to believe is that the injured players return to their best form, that the players who played a lot of minutes due to injuries are rested and that we get a good result that can change our minds .
“This will pass. Nothing is forever.
Guardiola, who last week signed a contract extension until the summer of 2027, believes it is even time to reaffirm his approach.
City have won 18 trophies since the Spaniard took charge in 2016, including six Premier League titles, the Champions League and two FA Cups.
He said: “Because this team has won a lot for many, many years, when this happens we ask ourselves: ‘What is happening?’
“But in this situation we must go more directly to our principles, not change much, less than ever.
“We have to be sure it will be (good), because in the end we had 26 shots against Spurs, we had more expected goals than them, we created a lot of chances.
“What we have to do is insist, create more and try to concede less. One day we will win a game and our minds will be clear.
“I hope (it will be) Tuesday, if not Sunday. Otherwise, the next one. But the desire is there to change that and we are going to try.
Having set such high standards in recent years, Guardiola believes City deserve time from their detractors to turn things around.
Speaking at a press conference ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League match against Feyenoord, Guardiola said: “By our standards it will be a bad season. We come from there (from the top) so we can only go down if we lose.
“But it’s nice. I think we deserve a little patience when we lose games. It won’t be a big waste.
“You are defending a heritage, a tradition, an achievement and it is so difficult to manage.
“If we don’t, we try to focus on short periods and win the next games. What I want is commitment from the players to continue doing what we have to do.
“We will congratulate the team that wins our crown because they deserve it, but not because we deliver it to them.
“We have to be ourselves in every practice and every game. It’s the only way I know how.
Guardiola also denied suggestions his side were starting to show their age after six players aged 30 or over clashed against Spurs.
He said: “It depends on performance. There are players in their 30s and over 30s who are performing incredibly well.
“There are 23-year-old players who are not performing well. It depends on performance. I don’t see the age.
