Pep Guardiola makes shocking Man City admission ahead of Liverpool game
- Pep Guardiola dismissed the idea that victory over Liverpool will lead to Man City improvement
- The manager insisted his injured players have to regain their fitness before the team 'is back'
- Guardiola claimed City cannot target winning any trophy this season
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has claimed his side's problems will not be solved by victory over Liverpool on Sunday and only the return of key injured players can ensure they will compete for trophies this season.
The effusive Catalan coach has been physically and mentally marked by a damaging sequence of six winless matches. After five straight defeats, City gave up a 3-0 lead to draw at home to Feyenoord in the Champions League on Tuesday night.
City trail Premier League-leading Liverpool by eight points, a gap which could widen with another loss on Merseyside this weekend. No Anfield crowd has seen Manchester City defeat Liverpool since 2003, when Nicolas Anelka nabbed a brace for the visitors.
In a wild-eyed interview with Sky Sports ahead of his side's trip along the M62, Guardiola warned one win would not solve the club's problems. "We will be back when all the players come back," the manager shrugged. "We will not be back by winning at Anfield. Until those players come back, we will not be back. I'm sorry to say that.
"I would love to say we are going to win at Anfield and then 20 games. But in the situation we are in, we will not be back. The only chance we come back is if John Stones is back - he is injured and he will be a long time, if Ruben Dias has come back after one month out and everyone is a bit fit again, then we will be back."
City have been without their Ballon d'Or-winning defensive midfielder Rodri since September. The Spaniard's replacement, Mateo Kovacic, was also forced into the treatment room during November's international break.
While Oscar Bobb isn't expected back until February, doubts also loom over his fellow forward Jeremy Doku. As Guardiola outlined, centre-back John Stones is also a significant absentee.
Such is the proliferation of injuries throughout City's squad, Guardiola has openly admitted to fielding half-fit players. Kevin De Bruyne, Nathan Ake, Ruben Dias, Kyle Walker and Manuel Akanji have all been nursing various ailments while making themselves available for selection.
"Of course, we're going to fight to win on Sunday," Guardiola added. "But winning will not change much. The mood, five points, of course that will allow us to do that.
"But knowing the reality and the team, we cannot make targets to win the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cups. It's unnecessary when in the last six games we have not been able to win one."
Guardiola acknowledged City have overturned points deficits in the past, but noted: "The problem is we had the squad, we had everyone more or less competing with each other. Now we don't have it.
"Now I tell my reflection: what do you ask for? Just give me the players back! All I want is that! The rest? I don't care. I would love to lose the Premier League with the players."
At the end of a breathless exchange, Guardiola concluded: "I don't like not competing because the players I have are injured. But it is what it is. It's life."
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