Pep Guardiola took the blame for Manchester City’s struggles as he claimed “I’m not good enough” amid the club’s dreadful run.
City led with three minutes of normal time remaining against Manchester United at the Etihad Stadium, despite still being a long way off their usual standards.
Guardiola then watched his players gift United a penalty to equalise, as Bruno Fernandes converted from the spot, before Amad Diallo got in behind to snatch a 90th-minute winner for the visitors.
That made it one win in 11 matches for City, who sit nine points off Premier League leaders Liverpool having played a game more.
It was announced last month that Guardiola had signed a two-year contract extension, but the City boss said after the defeat to United that he is not delivering for the club at the moment, as he refused to blame Matheus Nunes for conceding the late penalty.
Guardiola said: “I am the boss, the manager and I’m not good enough. It’s as simple as that. I have to find the way to talk to them, train them, the way you have to play and the way you have to press, to build-up.
“I’m not good enough, I’m not doing well. That is the truth.
“If it was always the same problem, it would be fixed. ‘Oh it’s that player’ - it’s fixed, don’t play [him]. But it’s not that. Matheus did an incredible effort playing left-back, played really, really, really good. But it’s happened, it’s football. Move forward.”
City have lost five of their last seven Premier League matches - that’s as many as they have lost in any season since the 2020/21 campaign.
Guardiola insisted this was not as painful a defeat as others he has overseen, but there is no sign of City’s problems easing as they now turn their focus to a trip to Aston Villa next weekend.
"Previously we didn't lose that many in two seasons,” Guardiola said.
“Now we've done it in eight games. You have to defend. We have lost a lot of games. It's difficult. We have to move on and try to find the solution and try to win games.
"I think in nine years it wasn't the toughest defeat. Champions League defeats harder. But at the moment, we need results to lift our mood. It's getting worse and worse. I have to find the solution. So far I didn't find it and this is the truth.”
