Pep Guardiola declares Manchester City will be back despite huge slump
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Sunday 29 December 2024 08:21, UK
Pep Guardiola has confidently declared "Manchester City will be back" after a run of one win in 13 matches that has sent their season into turmoil.
City will be hoping to rediscover their spark on Sunday against Leicester, live on Sky Sports, after yet another frustrating result for the ailing champions at home to Everton on Boxing Day.
They at least avoided the indignity of a 10th defeat in 13 games in all competitions, but the surrendered two points left them 14 behind Premier League leaders Liverpool, who also have a game in hand.
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With just one win since October, it has been a dramatic fall from grace for Guardiola's previously all-conquering side
Guardiola said: "I've been, since I arrived in my career as a football player, as a manager, I think everyone of us, in our job, want to please the people, want to do good our job. That is undeniable. That is not a question mark, I would say.
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"So, it's easy to understand. The greatest test when things are going badly. The greatest test that I've done.
"We will come back and that's what already happened. But that makes me remember how good was the past. That's the truth.
"I maybe realise now what we have done. Because sometimes you have injuries and how many years we were so incredibly, incredibly consistent, you know?
"And the main, main reason is having seven, eight important injured players. And after every three days, it's more difficult.
"But I see the team, the spirit, how yesterday's [Wednesday's] training, how focused they are in all we try to practice, how, you know, to try to do it."
Manuel Akanji also remains confident City will turn the corner ahead of the trip to relegation-threatened Leicester.
The Switzerland international said: "We need to keep on working and the next opportunity is in a few days. There's nothing else we can do at the moment. We're trying everything.
"We've had lots of injuries, so it's not easy at the moment, but even now we will find a way and come out of this and luck will come again on our side."
Jones Knows prediction: No respite for Pep
Sky Sports' betting expert Lewis Jones:
How bad must Leicester be if Manchester City are going off 1/3 with Sky Bet for the win despite winning just once in their last 13 games?
Also, since the start of November, Guardiola's men have conceded 26 goals in all competitions - in that time, the only side from Europe's big-five leagues to concede more is FC Heidenheim 1846 (28).
It is astonishing.
Yet punters still are happy to back them to win football matches at heavy odds-on it seems.
I can leave them alone even if Leicester have faced the most shots, shots on target and conceded the most goals since December 3, which was Ruud van Nistelrooy's first game in charge.
He's made little impact - in fact, they might be becoming easier to score against.
From a betting point of view, though, you just have to keep betting against this City defence keeping a clean sheet and Leicester have scored in all but one of their 10 home matches this season. Both teams to score and over 2.5 goals should land at 4/5 with Sky Bet.
