Phil Foden Stands by Pep Guardiola Amid Manchester City’s Struggles
Manchester City’s Phil Foden insists the team remains fully supportive of manager Pep Guardiola despite their recent struggles. City’s 2-1 loss to Manchester United at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday marked their eighth defeat in their last eleven matches across all competitions.
Defensive Issues Continue to Plague the City
Defensive lapses again proved costly for City, with United scoring twice in the closing stages. These errors have been a recurring theme in a season that has seen the Premier League champions falter. Currently sitting in fifth place, City trails league leaders Liverpool by nine points, with Liverpool still holding a game in hand.
City’s league form has been uncharacteristically poor, suffering five defeats this season compared to only three in the entire previous campaign. After Sunday’s loss, Guardiola admitted feeling the weight of the worst crisis of his managerial career, stating, “I’m not good enough.”
Foden Stresses Unity and Belief
Despite Guardiola’s admission, Foden has reiterated the squad’s faith in their manager. “We are still nowhere near our level, but I still believe that we are playing good enough to get points and results,” Foden said.
He acknowledged the team’s tendency to lose focus at key moments and emphasized the need for sustained concentration throughout matches. “It’s about remaining focused throughout the full 90 minutes, but we keep switching off at important times. We just need to get the focus right.”
Foden highlighted the importance of team unity, resilience, and trust in Guardiola’s methods. “We stick together, regroup, and believe in ourselves after what we’ve achieved in the past,” he added.
Maintaining Resilience During a Challenging Period
Foden stressed the importance of mental strength and team cohesion during this difficult spell. “It’s not a time for moaning. It’s about sticking together, remaining strong, and going again,” he said.
He expressed confidence in the team’s ability to recover. “We have to go again and show character to come back from this blip. I’m positive we are going to come back.”
City’s upcoming fixtures allow them to address their slump and reassert themselves as title contenders. With the demanding festive season, the team must display resilience and rediscover their winning form.\
