Pep Guardiola press conference live Man City injury news vs Liverpool

Crisis of confidence?

Yes, of course. I don’t know if confidence is the right word but when the dynamics are good, it’s always easier. You have to accept the situation that we have and we are in right now.

“I have learned all my life to move forward in the good moments and the bad moments. We are in the end of November, Anfield will be the beginning of December so there are many months to play, many good things to play for and you have to learn and learn. It’s how many times you stand up when again and again you fall.

Is this a crisis?

It is up to you, whatever you text and write. We are second in the table. I’ve said many times that maybe we have to live as a club, as a team – live these kind of situations.

We will be back, I know that. I don’t know when, that is the truth.

You can judge the situation that we are in – when the team has controlled the Premier League for many years – it’s normal that the situation happens. It’s about how we stand up again and again and again, whatever happens.

We have done it in the past and hopefully we can start to do it again.

Arteta’s verdict on City form

Mikel Arteta has offered sympathy to his friend and rival Pep Guardiola amid City’s struggles over the last month, saying ‘everyone has a bump.’

Arteta will watch City’s clash at Liverpool with interest as Arsenal sit a point behind the Blues, but he had words of encouragement for close friend Guardiola.

“What I’ve made of it is what they’ve done for nine years, how difficult it is to do what they have done consistently,” Arteta said.

“Everybody has a bump. For them it’s very strange because in nine years they never had it. That shows you the level we are in. Everything has to be almost perfect and things have to go your way.”

Arteta also spoke of Guardiola’s personal state, with the City boss scratching his face and head during the draw with Feyenoord this week.

Read his full comments here.

What Pep asked of Man City owners during difficult run

Pep Guardiola has asked Manchester City for the chance to rebuild the team after admitting the success he has brought to the Etihad Stadium is the only reason he has avoided the sack in recent weeks.

City are suffering without Rodri and his absence has been compounded by an injury crisis at the back, but Guardiola is already in charge of an ageing team and he has revealed that part of his reason for signing a two-year contract extension was that he wanted the challenge of the rebuild.

“At this football club you have to win and if you don’t win, you will be in trouble,” he said. “I know the people say why is Pep not in trouble, why is Pep not sacked? What we have done the last eight years is why I have this margin.”

Read his full answer here.

‘All I want’ – Pep seeks more than City win at Liverpool

Pep Guardiola does not see Liverpool as the chance to turn Manchester City’s fortunes around even if they win at Anfield.

The Blues are on their worst ever run under the manager, a six game winless run that saw five defeats followed by an astonishing collapse from 3-0 up against Feyenoord, and travel to Liverpool for what is always one of their toughest games of the season. They go as underdogs to a side that can move 11 points ahead with three points on Sunday, yet as much as City are struggling a win there would reignite their hopes; as well as bringing them closer to the top of the table, it would break the run and change the narrative.

However, Guardiola is more interested in performances than results and does not expect Sunday to change the situation within his squad. Until more players start coming back from injury and the team starts reacting better to setbacks in matches, the City manager does not believe his team will be where they need to be.

“That is the big mistake of your analysis,” he said at his press conference on Friday. “The result won’t change anything.”

So who could play vs Liverpool?

Guardiola was clearly keeping his cards close to his chest on injuries, with a tried-and-tested response that he will wait to see who trains later.

He did say that today is the first time since the Feyenoord game that City have trained – although the club did post pictures of a recovery session on Wednesday involving players who didn’t feature the night before.

Jeremy Doku and Ruben Dias were in that session so they could look to build up their fitness in view of taking part at Anfield.

Kevin De Bruyne has been fit enough to come off the bench, so the only unanswered question on returning players is on John Stones – who we haven’t seen since the Spurs game.

‘Not realistic’ – Pep performs u-turn on City and Liverpool title verdict

Pep Guardiola has backtracked on his assertion that Manchester City’s title chances could be over this weekend.

Instead he insisted that Sunday’s clash at Liverpool will not define the Premier League title race, even if Arne Slot’s side move 11 points clear of Guardiola’s struggling City squad.

City have lost three Premier League games in a row as part of a wider six game winless run, and are without a number of key players. As Guardiola reminded reporters on Friday, he is without his two defensive midfielders and has had four centre-backs missing for a number of weeks.

After the league defeat at Spurs, Guardiola agreed that the title would be beyond City if they lost at Liverpool, saying: “Yep. In terms of Liverpool winning, winning, yep. I would say when you lose three games in a row it is the most wrong thing to say that you will be champions.”

Guardiola was asked the same question ahead of the Liverpool trip but insisted there is still plenty of football to play – and a lot of players to return – regardless of what happens in Sunday’s Anfield clash.

Read the full answer here.

Phillips: I lost my fire when Pep Guardiola didn’t play me

Away from Guardiola’s press conference for a moment – City loanee Kalvin Phillips has been speaking about his move to Ipswich and struggles at the Etihad.

He says that his lack of playing time affected his confidence and fitness, which in turn affected his form. He spoke about seeing a sports psychologist after chats with Ipswich boss Keiran McKenna, and his ambitions to get back in the England squad.

Read the full story here.

That’s all from Pep!

Well, that was a rollercoaster. Plenty of defiance from the boss, trying to put the winless run into context. It’s clear he feels that with a full squad things would be different.

And it’s interesting to hear him backtrack on the idea that defeat on Sunday would spell the end of City’s title hopes. Is he plotting another comeback in the second half of the season?

Stick around on the Manchester Evening News for all the reaction and analysis from a fascinating press conference.

Nadal visit to City – can you use him to teach the squad new things?

That would be nice. It was so easy to do it. A pleasure to do that, he went to see Liverpool vs Madrid. We were mates in Barcelona, a pleasure to see him. A most incredible athlete of his time. We spoke sport, how difficult to maintain over many years. He make an incredible sentence – I love players who want to play but their body says it’s enough. He loves tennis, wants to do it. He was exhausted and in football as well.

How much do you need to rebuild the team?

I understand you think I have to rebuild everything. I don’t agree. Three years ago we were champions and FA Cup finalists. Football life changes quickly. The only question that looks like an excuse, the squad is really good but we don’t have a squad. It’s not just Rodri, it’s many players. We need to rebuild, yeah. We don’t have players. We play six weeks without four CBs and two holding midfielders. It’s more difficult, all the managers defend their quality. We work for the players we have. Step by step players come back, hopefully we can be together a long time. Say we play bad vs Feyenoord, no we were 3-0. The substitutions – Nathan had been out for a month so 3-0 was logical. Kevin needs minutes, McAtee is a guarantee for control. They score three goals from three chances. It’s about winning games. The treble and four in a row – we always play exceptional? No, but we found a way to win the games. Now I’m not a genius to say it’s not the case.

Spoken with the chairman?

We talk since nine years. Not every day but after the games. He gives me opinion, Txiki gives opinion, the players do, I do. We try to move forward. He knows perfectly we have to move forward and try and find a solution. For circumstances doesn’t happen, the club takes the decision it has to take?

Why don’t players know how to react after conceding?

We concede few goals in nine years. To win titles you don’t concede chances? How many chances did Feyenoord have? Three? How many chances vs Spurs? A lot but we didn’t score. It changes with players coming back.

Toughest clash with Liverpool?

Always has been the toughest. Has been Arsenal, now is Liverpool. When you re nine, ten years, always is difficult. I take it like normal. I’m thinking what I can do to the players to help, in a long career you live the situations. We lost five and draw one, should have won yes. It happens, don’t think much in the situation. Go to the principles, if you live it accept it. No blaming, no running from responsibilities. I want it. Here as a club you have to win, if you don’t win you are in trouble, what we have done the last eight years I have people who rely on me to do it. It isn’t normal in the big clubs to do what we’ve done. I want to stay, the moment I feel not positive I will go. But I want the opportunity and rebuild the team in many aspects until the end of the season. I ask for this challenge, opportunity to do it. I feel it. I know what we have to do, knowing in the moment our consistency we don’t have it. Which team are consistent in ten years – not even in NBA, tennis, golf. In almost a decade, the consistency we don’t find it. It’s not nice to live, but what do you expect? Everything is red carpet and easy?

That proves what we are as sportsmen. With 10,12 games in a row, everyone fit, everything going well. It’s easy. I have to put myself now. Rodri is not an excuse? I cry all the time? Or the centre-backs not there? I have to find a solution. I’m trying every day.

Injuries

We will see today.

Thoughts on Slot’s start

Really good. More positional game, the transitions are still there from every corner or free kick for you is a transition for them. Was Mane, Firmino, Salah – now Diaz, Nunez, Salah. In the past fighting the biggest battles against Liverpool, always a big consideration for this club. Nothing changes, lost one game in all competitions.

How much would a win kick-start the season

This is the mistake with analysis. Result doesn’t change anything, if three days later against Forest we lose.. stable is 10, 12 games. One game doesn’t change how we feel as a team. I want the players back, that is what I’d like. The beginning of the season to show who we are but we couldn’t do that. When the people ask if you want to win games – yeah. But we don’t have the players.

When does this run become a crisis?

Up to you, when you write it. We are second, not in good moment is results. We play more than this but not enough to win games. I said many times, we have to live it as a club and players to give what we have done in the past. We will be back, I know it. I don’t know when. You can judge the situation, when a team have control int he PL for many years, it’s normal this goes on. Maybe the exception was the past and not now – how we stand up is the big success in life. How many time you stand up.

How big is the challenge?

The challenge is how strong we are in the difficulties. The first knock, we are not stable. In the past, 3-0 up, the game was there in our hands. Now in the first moments, I don’t know how we react. Obvious reasons, the absences etc. The best place to improve is Anfield.

Will the title race be over with a defeat?

In the situation we have it’s not realistic to think big targets. Think one game to give the momentum to continue. That will come back. Even in the situations, it’s not realistic to think about the title in November. They are in really good form, so powerful in all departments and the boxes. In the situation we are, losing games in a row, three in the PL. Always I think about the target in March, April. In November, December, doesn’t matter what happens on Sunday. It will be more difficult but there are many games to play.

Are Liverpool the best team in the world?

I don’t know. One of the best for the results. Arne doing an incredible job. When people say City are the best I don’t pay attention.

Expecting any fan trouble at Anfield?

No problem at all. It happened once especially, it was a long time ago. They make statements, it’s forgotten.

What have you done since Tuesday?

Today is the first day we see eachother since the game. Back to business.

Do the players suffer with confidence issues?

Of course, football is how your confidence… I don’t know the right word. When the dynamic is good it’s easier. Accept the situation we have. I learn through my life is move forward in the good and bad moments. Prepare well the game in Anfield and continue. We’re in the end of November, many months to play. Have to learn. You can fall down again, to succeed is how many times you stand up when you fall. It’s the only way I know.

Here’s Pep!

The boss is here, off we go.

What has Arne Slot said?

Liverpool boss Arne Slot did his press conference yesterday, offering sympathy for City’s form, backing them to turn it around and predicting some tactical imagination from Pep Guardiola to do so.

But he also insisted that injury lists only become an excuse when clubs aren’t winning, saying:

“In general people only talk about injuries if the results are not there so it’s a good thing that nobody has talked about ours because it means we’ve got our results.

“The moment you start to lose it’s about kick-off times or it’s about injuries – we always come up with certain ideas why we didn’t win, especially me, but nine times out of 10 it’s about the quality of the opposition and their game plan.”

“We do have some very important players injured but if the replacements do so well then it’s normal that people don’t talk about it much. Missing Alisson, missing Diogo Jota, missing Trent in the last two games – those are players that have had a lot of impact in recent years but it’s a good thing that we don’t talk about it.”

Injury latest – who’s in and who’s out?

These are the players we know are definitely out of the trip to Anfield:

• Rodri is out for the season, but hopes to return ahead of schedule in 2025.
• Oscar Bobb is still set to return in January.
• Mateo Kovacic is still out having been ruled out for a month.

And these are the names who are doubts ahead of Guardiola’s update:

• John Stones missed the Feyenoord game after coming off at half-time vs Spurs.
• Jeremy Doku is back in training but wasn’t in the squad on Tuesday.
• Ruben Dias was back on the bench – but he didn’t come on.
• Kevin De Bruyne has been a second half substitute in the last four games but hasn’t started since September.

Pep’s selection dilemmas

Does Kyle Walker get a recall tomorrow or does Guardiola stick with Rico Lewis at right-back?

Should Josko Gvardiol get taken out of the firing line? Or will he be forced to continue with other injuries?

Is Ilkay Gundogan the man to play at number six with Rodri and Kovacic out?

And is Kevin De Bruyne finally ready to start a game when City need him most?

Guardiola has plenty of selection dilemmas ahead of Sunday’s trip to Anfield – and not many players to pick from.

Good afternoon!

Hello, and welcome to today’s press conference where Pep Guardiola will be up shortly to prevew City’s clash with Liverpool.

We’re expecting injury updates, Guardiola’s thoughts on City’s form, and some title race talk.

Stick around – Pep’s here from 12.30pm.