Pep Guardiola says Manchester City counting on fan support amid rough patch

Manchester City Seeks to Bounce Back Amid Slump, Says Pep Guardiola

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is urging fans to stick by the team as they navigate a rough patch ahead of their Premier League clash with Nottingham Forest on Wednesday. Despite being dominant in recent years, winning six of the last seven league titles, City are now winless in seven consecutive games across all competitions.

A tough 4-1 defeat to Liverpool on Sunday dropped them to fifth place, raising doubts about their ability to compete for silverware this season. However, Guardiola remains optimistic that the fans will continue to support the team, given their shared success over the past decade.

“We need our fans because the situation is difficult, but they’ve always been there for us,” Guardiola said in a pre-match press conference. “They know what these players have achieved, and we need their support now more than ever to turn things around. Everyone here is determined to give everything to improve.”

City currently sit 11 points behind league leaders Liverpool but remain just two points shy of second-placed Arsenal and Chelsea. Guardiola acknowledged that talk of winning the title this season is unrealistic and instead urged his team to focus on taking things one step at a time.

“To think about the past or aim for the title right now would be a mistake,” he explained. “We need to focus on the immediate task—beating Forest and getting closer to the top four. From there, we can build momentum.”

Guardiola praised Liverpool for their exceptional form this season and stressed the importance of improving City’s consistency, especially in critical moments of games.

Meanwhile, City face a tough test against sixth-placed Nottingham Forest, who are just one point behind them in the standings. Guardiola highlighted Forest’s physicality and the tactical expertise of their manager, Nuno Espirito Santo, as key factors behind their strong start to the season.

“They’re a solid team with a good manager and have been consistent over several games,” Guardiola said. “They remind me of other successful teams like Brighton, and they’ve proven they deserve to be near the top.”

City will look to end their poor run of form and regain confidence as they aim to climb back into contention.