‘Struggling’ Man City leave Guardiola with title headache

LONDON: Pep Guardiola admits “struggling” Manchester City´s unexpected stumble in the Premier League title race has left him searching for solutions to the champions´ problems.

Guardiola´s side crashed to a lacklustre 1-0 defeat at Aston Villa on Wednesday as their winless run in the league extended to four matches. City are languishing in fourth place, six points behind leaders Arsenal and four adrift of second-placed Liverpool.

After successive draws with Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham raised alarm bells about City´s title prospects, Guardiola had defiantly claimed this week that his team would definitely win the Premier League.

But the Spaniard changed his tune after Villa rocked the treble winners with the kind of dynamic display that has been City´s trademark throughout Guardiola´s reign.

“It is my duty, it is my job to find a way to come back. Many years now we are together and we are able to find a way to win games,” Guardiola said. “We know what´s our level and as a manager we have to find a way to win. We´re struggling a bit. I´m here to help them.

“We didn´t have the feeling that we are going to do something and we missed it. We have to accept it when a team is better and recognise it.”

City´s mini-crisis has blown the title race wide open and Guardiola´s acknowledgement that there are issues to resolve will give further encouragement to their rivals. So what can Guardiola do to get City back on track?

One of the keys to their bid for an unprecedented fourth successive top-flight crown is the Spaniard´s ability to motivate his players after so much success in recent years.

As their performances have swung between exceptional and erratic this term, Guardiola has conceded there might be a hangover from the incredible treble triumph.

Fixing that issue is essential because Arsenal and Liverpool, both playing with intensity and energy this season, look like formidable foes.

City looked drained for much of their chastening trip to Villa Park on Wednesday, a problem exacerbated by Guardiola´s preference for a relatively small squad.