Manchester City Did Not Try Against Bayer Leverkusen, Pep Guardiola Reflects On Performance

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Pep Guardiola expressed disappointment over Manchester City's lack of effort in their 2-0 Champions League defeat to Bayer Leverkusen at the Etihad Stadium. Despite making ten changes from the team that lost to Newcastle United, City managed to create three significant chances and had an expected goals (xG) figure of 1.78 compared to Leverkusen's 0.51. Guardiola noted a lack of initiative and confidence in his players, which he plans to address moving forward.

Guardiola emphasised that the performance, rather than the result, was concerning. "It is not about one result; it is in the performance. Of course, results help performances but I'm not very disappointed about Newcastle," he said. "The last one [against Leverkusen], yes, because of my decisions and because we didn't try, it's as simple as that." He stressed the importance of trying new things on the field.

Looking ahead, Manchester City will face Leeds United in their upcoming Premier League match. With Arsenal and Chelsea set to clash on Sunday, Guardiola's team has a chance to climb to second place in the league standings. City have been dominant against Leeds recently, winning their last four encounters and scoring 16 goals during these matches.

Reflecting on the game against Leverkusen, Guardiola admitted that his team played cautiously. "I think they played not to make mistakes, not to play to do something," he stated. He acknowledged this experience as a valuable lesson for him as a manager, despite his extensive experience in football management.

Guardiola also provided an update on Rodri's condition. The midfielder has missed eight of City's last nine matches due to a hamstring injury but is nearing a return. However, he will not be available for the game against Leeds United.

The recent victory streak against Leeds marks a significant improvement for City compared to their earlier encounters with them in the competition. Previously, they only managed five draws and seven losses in their first 16 meetings with Leeds.

This recent setback has highlighted areas for improvement within Manchester City's squad. Guardiola remains focused on learning from these experiences and enhancing his team's performance in future matches.