Joleon Lescott has rejected speculation that Pep Guardiola could step down as Manchester City manager following their 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa on Saturday.
Goals from Jhon Duran and Morgan Rogers secured victory for Villa, who missed several other opportunities before Phil Foden scored a late consolation for the Citizens. The loss saw Man City slip to sixth in the Premier League table, with the possibility of dropping further depending on Sunday’s results for Fulham and Bournemouth.
This marked another setback in a dire run of form for Guardiola’s side, with only one win in their last 12 matches. Despite increasing fan speculation about Guardiola’s future, Lescott remains confident the City boss will remain at the helm.
Speaking on TNT Sports, Lescott stated:
“I don’t think Guardiola is anywhere close to resigning. He’s someone that thrives on a challenge. He will see this as a challenge. I don’t think he’s anywhere close to thinking about resigning.”
Former England striker Peter Crouch echoed these sentiments, emphasizing Guardiola’s genius and ability to handle adversity:
“I think he stays. I think he leaves when he wants to. It’s whether he can turn it around. The man’s a genius. He’s changed the face of football in this country. He’s not had this test anywhere he’s been. He’s one of the greatest we’ve ever seen. You’d expect him to turn it around.”
However, Crouch acknowledged that defending the Premier League title this season now seems unlikely:
“I think you have to [write City off in the title race]. They’re not showing signs of title-winning form.”
Former City goalkeeper Shay Given also weighed in, highlighting concerns about the squad’s physical condition:
“We’ve never seen this before, one win in 12. It’s just such a terrible run, and lots of defeats in that as well. It’s not like they’re having lots of draws; there are so many defeats in that run as well.
“We talk about the age of the squad as well, and Morgan Rogers has been the star man for Villa today, and he’s ex-Manchester City. Cole Palmer, ex-Manchester City; Jadon Sancho, ex-Manchester City; Liam Delap, ex-Manchester City. They let all these young players leave the club, and now Pep’s in a real rut.
“Their legs are gone. They couldn’t match Villa physically, couldn’t match them tactically. They were miles off it. So what happens next? That’s the question.”
While Guardiola faces one of the most challenging periods of his managerial career, the consensus among pundits suggests the Catalan tactician is far from giving up. Instead, fans and analysts alike are eager to see whether Guardiola can reinvigorate his squad and rediscover their championship-winning form.
