Pep Guardiola issues defiant response after Bernardo Silva says Man City 'in dark place' | OneFootball

The midfielder and his manager at odds after three defeats in seven days

It was City's third defeat in seven days, having lost to Tottenham in the Carabao Cup and Bournemouth in the Premier League last week, and also their first reverse in the Champions League - excluding a penalty shoot-out - since 2022.

Silva told reporters after the game that the team must do some soul-searching.

We need to get better very quickly otherwise it will be very difficult to come back from these losses

Bernardo Silva

"It's disappointing because we're a bit in a dark place right now," the Portugal international told TNT Sports. "Everything looks to be going in the wrong way.

"Even when we are playing well we don't score our chances and we concede too easily.

"We definitely need to look inside and check what we're not doing well, and we need to get better very quickly otherwise it will be very difficult to come back from these losses."

Guardiola, though, had a more optimistic outlook and insisted he was relishing the challenge of bouncing back.

Man City suffered their heaviest defeat since September 2020

AFP via Getty Images

The City boss, who takes his side to Brighton on Saturday, said: "I don't agree with him. We are not in the dark side.

"We played really bad against Bournemouth but really good here. The only regret is conceding the third and fourth - the penalties were not necessary.

"We knew it would be a tough season at the start and this is what it is. I like it, I love it, I want to face it and lift my players. Life is like this. We continue.

"What should we do? We go back to Manchester and prepare for the game at Brighton. I won't give up, that's for sure."

Additional reporting by Press Association.