Guardiola wants to prove himself against Liverpool
As his side prepares for a crunch clash against Liverpool, Pep Guardiola believes the onus is on him to turn around Manchester City's form slump.
Guardiola's side has not won in six matches and gave up a 3-0 lead to draw against Feyenoord in the UEFA Champions League in midweek, albeit ending a five-match losing run.
City has lost its past three Premier League games, as many as it had in its previous 47 combined.
They lost four in a row most recently between April and August 2008, and again in the same season between January and March 2007, when it lost five.
City's next outing is against Liverpool at Anfield, a venue where it has won just once in its past 21 trips in the Premier League, with Liverpool winning 13 and drawing the other seven.
"Of course, it's not nice, but what do you expect? That everything is red carpet? That everything is nice and easy?" Guardiola said.
"It's easy when you are [winning] 10, 12 games in a row, everyone is fit, everyone is in their prime and everyone is 26, 27, 28. When everything is going well, it is easy.
"I have to prove myself now."
Guardiola, who signed a new two-year contract extension this month, has won 18 major trophies during his time at the club, including City's first UEFA Champions League in 2023 and six Premier League titles.
The new deal will take the Spaniard's tenure at the club to over a decade, making him City's longest-serving manager since Les McDowall in 1963.
But Guardiola hinted he could leave Manchester if he cannot turn around the club's season.
"In long careers – nine, 10, 11 years – you live all the situations. We lost five games, drew the last one when we should have won, but it happens in football sometimes," the 53-year-old said.
"[I have to] accept it. No complaining, no blaming, no pointing. Don't run away from your responsibility. I have absolutely all on my shoulders. I have it and I want it.
"At this football club, you have to win. If you don't, you will be in trouble. I know the people say 'Why is Pep not in trouble, why is Pep not sacked?' I have this margin because of what we have done over the last eight years. The people rely on me.
"What's for sure is, I want to stay. But the moment I feel I am not positive for the club another one will come. We will be back, I know that. I don't know when.
"In the situation we are in, it is not realistic to think about big targets. The situation is to think about the next game and what I can do to help the players. I don't want to run. I asked for this opportunity. I want to be there and rebuild the team in many aspects from now on until the end of the season and next season."
Monday's (AEDT) game will be the first meeting between Guardiola and Arne Slot, who has made a bright start to his role at Liverpool by guiding it eight points clear of City after 12 matches.
