Manchester City head coach Pep Guardiola admits squad needs "rebuild" ahead of Liverpool clash

Nov 29, 2024

Liverpool [UK], November 29 : Manchester City head coach Pep Guardiola dropped a hint about the potential rebuilding of the squad at the club amid an injury crisis and a six-match winless streak across all competitions.
Manchester City, a club that won four consecutive Premier League titles, will head to Anfield on a six-match winless run, five of those ending in defeat.
If the defending champions once again find themselves on the losing side, the defect from the top of the table between them will extend to 11 points.
Throughout the ongoing season, Manchester City's run has been hampered by injuries, especially to key players, featuring Rodri, who has been potentially ruled out of the entire season with a knee issue.
Guardiola, who has committed his future with the club till 2027, stated that he is committed to the challenge of rebuilding the squad and said, as quoted from Sky Sports, "The squad is really good, but we don't have a squad. It's not just Rodri, it's many players."
"After that, I say we need to rebuild, yes. We don't have players. We play six weeks without four centre-backs and two holding midfielders. It's not sustainable. 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," he added.
In their UEFA Champions League clash against Feyenoord, Manchester City enjoyed a healthy 3-0 lead. However, the game completely turned around on his head and ended in a stalemate with a 3-3 scoreline.
Reflecting on the game, Guardiola stated, "You say we play badly vs Feyenoord? I don't think so. We were 3-0. The substitutions - Nathan [Ake] had been out for a month so 3-0 was logical decision. Kevin [De Bruyne] needs minutes. 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," he added.
Manchester City will enter Anfield to face Liverpool on Sunday with the odds stacked against them. Liverpool sit at the top of the table with 31 points, while Manchester City trail in the second spot with 23 points.

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