Manchester City’s struggles continue, and another defeat has left Pep Guardiola worried about securing a top-four finish.
Frustration over injuries, the absence of key players—Guardiola has voiced it all. But now, his tone carries irritation. The City manager is far from satisfied with his team’s performances and insists they must find a way back to winning form if they want a Champions League spot next season.
At this stage of the season, the fact that City is even concerned about a top-four finish speaks volumes about their current situation. Hopes of retaining the Premier League title faded long ago. Any chance of pulling off something extraordinary has also slipped away. And after crashing out of the Champions League, their primary focus now is simply securing a top-four spot in the Premier League.
But that goal took a serious hit on Saturday, as Guardiola’s men suffered a 1-0 defeat against third-placed Nottingham Forest.
Despite the loss, City remains in fourth place with 47 points from 28 matches. However, Chelsea, with 46 points from 27 games, could overtake them with a win in their next match.
Nottingham Forest sits third with 51 points from 28 matches, while Arsenal holds second place with 54 points from 27 games. Meanwhile, Liverpool, with 70 points from 29 matches, appears untouchable at the top.
Guardiola isn’t even thinking about the title race anymore—his focus is solely on keeping City in the top four.
“We have to win matches. If we can’t win several games in a row to feel safe, we’ll struggle to qualify for the Champions League. There are 10 matches left. To qualify, we have to win a lot of them. It’s that simple—there’s no other way.”
“To find our way, we must play better. We need to figure something out. It won’t just fall from the sky—we have to do it ourselves and fight for our place. In times like these, we must find solutions.”
Guardiola is determined to start that process in the very next game.
“The situation is what it is—we have to accept it. There are 10 games left. We face Brighton next Saturday, then there’s an international break. After that, we’ll see what happens.”
