Premier League 2024/25: Guardiola vows Man City will regain confidence after Villa defeat
The HinduManchester City manager Pep Guardiola insisted his struggling Premier League champions will regain their confidence after a 2-1 defeat by Aston Villa on Saturday meant they had lost nine of their last 12 matches in all competitions. Phil Foden’s stoppage-time goal for visitor City came too late to change the result as Villa climbed above Guardiola’s men into fifth place in the table. The defeat extended the worst run of Guardiola’s celebrated managerial career but the City boss was adamant he and his players could regain their confidence, telling TNT Sports: “Step by step, we have nice personalities in the team and sooner or later we are going to find it.” Guardiola praised a Villa side managed by fellow Spanish boss Unai Emery by saying: “Congratulations Aston Villa and keep going. We found a goal in the end, but too late.” This result meant previously prolific striker Erling Haaland, a key figure while City was winning an unprecedented four successive Premier League titles, has now scored just once in his last six appearances.