Bernardo Silva of Manchester City reacts to Leicester City's second goal. Getty Images
Bernardo Silva of Manchester City reacts to Leicester City's second goal. Getty Images
Leicester City's Ricardo Pereira celebrates scoring their second goal with Ben Chilwell. Reuters
Leicester City's Ricardo Pereira celebrates scoring their second goal with Ben Chilwell. Reuters
A ball slipped past Manchester City's Ederson. Reuters
A ball slipped past Manchester City's Ederson. Reuters
Manchester City's Fabian Delph is shown a red card by referee Mike Dean. Action Images via Reuters
Manchester City's Fabian Delph is shown a red card by referee Mike Dean. Action Images via Reuters
Leicester's Kasper Schmeichel makes a save ahead of Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne. AP Photo
Leicester's Kasper Schmeichel makes a save ahead of Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne. AP Photo
Delph in action as manager Pep Guardiola looks on. Action Images via Reuters
Delph in action as manager Pep Guardiola looks on. Action Images via Reuters
Kevin De Bruyne of Manchester City and Ricardo Pereira of Leicester City chase after the ball. Getty Images
Kevin De Bruyne of Manchester City and Ricardo Pereira of Leicester City chase after the ball. Getty Images
Sergio Aguero of Manchester City battles for possession with James Maddison of Leicester City. Getty Images
Sergio Aguero of Manchester City battles for possession with James Maddison of Leicester City. Getty Images
Leicester's Hamza Choudhury, centre left, and Manchester City's Ilkay Gundogan challenge for the ball. AP Photo
Leicester's Hamza Choudhury, centre left, and Manchester City's Ilkay Gundogan challenge for the ball. AP Photo
Leicester City's Harry Maguire in action with Aguero. Reuters
Leicester City's Harry Maguire in action with Aguero. Reuters
Leicester City's Pereira in action with Manchester City's Delph and Leroy Sane. Action Images via Reuters
Leicester City's Pereira in action with Manchester City's Delph and Leroy Sane. Action Images via Reuters
Leicester City's Marc Albrighton celebrates scoring their first goal with Choudhury. Action Images via Reuters
Leicester City's Marc Albrighton celebrates scoring their first goal with Choudhury. Action Images via Reuters
Albrighton scores their first goal. Action Images via Reuters
Albrighton scores their first goal. Action Images via Reuters
Silva celebrates scoring their only goal with Sane and teammates. Action Images via Reuters
Silva celebrates scoring their only goal with Sane and teammates. Action Images via Reuters
Silva scores their only goal. Reuters
Silva scores their only goal. Reuters

Football

Pep Guardiola: Manchester City 'must change the dynamic' after third defeat in four games

Trailing leaders Liverpool by seven points after losing 2-1 at Leicester City

Press Association

December 26, 2018

  • English
  • Arabic

Pep Guardiola admitted that doubt could be starting to creep into the Manchester City camp following their 2-1 defeat at Leicester on Boxing Day.

Successive Premier League losses have seen Guardiola's team slip seven points behind leaders Liverpool and drop to third in the table behind Tottenham.

It is the first time in two years that City have lost back-to-back Premier League games and they have now suffered three defeats in four league outings, following losses against Chelsea at the beginning of the month and Crystal Palace last weekend.

City were unable to hold onto the lead given to them by Bernardo Silva as Marc Albrighton quickly equalised. Ricardo Pereira's 81st-minute strike then proved to be the winner for Leicester.

"We have to except the reality. It's happened, accept the reality and try to win again for our confidence," said Guardiola.

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"Now there will be doubts but we have to change the dynamic. I have to think about what the team needs and then try to win again.

"In football you are able to win a lot of games and lose a lot of games. We have to think about Southampton next and recover mentally."

While City were dropping more points against Leicester, Liverpool were comfortably beating Newcastle 4-0 at Anfield to open up a potentially significant gap at the top of the table.

City host Jurgen Klopp's side at the Etihad on January 3 but Guardiola refused to look beyond the trip to St Mary's on Sunday.

"The reality is we have lost three in four and to be real contenders we need to win again, so we focus on Southampton," he said.

"We have made an incredible amount of points at this stage and if we can get the same, or more, in the second half of the season then we are fighting to win the championship. But at the moment, the reality is that two more teams are better than us."

City have kept only one clean sheet in the last nine Premier League games and Guardiola admitted: "The amount of goals we are conceding is a big issue."

City's misery was compounded further at the King Power Stadium by Fabian Delph's last-minute red card.

Delph caught Pereira with his studs on the follow-through after a swipe at the ball and was shown a straight red card by referee Mike Dean.

Guardiola added: "I am pretty sure he touched the ball, I am pretty sure of that. It's a red card, we accept it."

Who was Alfred Nobel?

The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.

  • In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
  • Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
  • Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
THE SIXTH SENSE

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Director: M. Night Shyamalan

Rating: 5/5

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