{"id":297844,"date":"2023-12-12T17:59:36","date_gmt":"2023-12-12T17:59:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportstoft.com\/?p=297844"},"modified":"2023-12-12T17:59:36","modified_gmt":"2023-12-12T17:59:36","slug":"man-city-refused-to-feel-sorry-for-themselves-after-luton-opener-pep-guardiola","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportstoft.com\/soccer\/man-city-refused-to-feel-sorry-for-themselves-after-luton-opener-pep-guardiola\/","title":{"rendered":"Man City refused to feel sorry for themselves after Luton opener \u2013 Pep Guardiola"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Pep Guardiola said Manchester City refused to \u201cfeel sorry for ourselves\u201d after going in a goal down at half-time against Luton before hitting back to claim a 2-1 Premier League triumph at Kenilworth Road.<\/p>\n

The hosts looked on course to inflict a fifth-consecutive winless game on City when Elijah Adebayo rose at the back post to head in Andros Townsend\u2019s cross on the stroke of the interval.<\/p>\n

It was just reward for an opening period in which they had weathered the champions\u2019 early pressure well, with Guardiola\u2019s side resorting to shooting from distance after goalkeeper Thomas Kaminski had denied them with a string of fine saves, most impressively from Phil Foden\u2019s low drive.<\/p>\n

And Rob Edwards\u2019 side held their lead beyond the hour mark as a stunning victory appeared within reach, until the champions turned the game on its head inside of three whirlwind minutes.<\/p>\n

First, Bernardo Silva pounced on a loose ball to lash home an equaliser into the bottom corner before Jack Grealish stabbed between the legs of Kaminski to send Luton to their second narrow home defeat in five days.<\/p>\n

And Guardiola said his players did not allow the prospect of losing for the second time in a week and ending the weekend seven points off the Premier League summit to distract them in the second half.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe most important thing to change the dynamic is winning games,\u201d he said. \u201cThat helps a lot.<\/p>\n

They don\u2019t need to prove to me what they are capable of, because they are an extraordinary group of players and characters. But the competition demands to prove it again<\/p>\n

\u201cWe didn\u2019t get results sometimes when we deserved, but that\u2019s what it is.<\/p>\n

\u201cToday was a good test for the fact that we played a really, really good first half against this type of team, this type of stadium. We did it perfect. We concede not much, created enough chances to score.\u201d<\/p>\n

City went down 1-0 away to Aston Villa on Wednesday having previously dropped points in draws with Tottenham, Liverpool and Chelsea.<\/p>\n

Victory at Luton ensured they stayed in touch with the sides above them in the table \u2013 the Reds, Villa and last season\u2019s runners-up Arsenal \u2013 and cut the gap at the top to four points.<\/p>\n

Guardiola admitted he had been concerned by the prospect of failing to win for a fifth game in a row when Adebayo headed Luton in front.<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought about that,\u201d he said. \u201cBut I said to (the players) \u2018what do we have do to, feel sorry for ourselves?\u2019 We don\u2019t have to feel sorry for ourselves. It\u2019s football, it\u2019s life, it\u2019s happened.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat are we going to do? Complain about being unlucky? Strikers, be more aggressive, score goals guys. Defend better the cross in the last minute and be positive.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have to remember ourselves. Big characters, big teams, like this team is. They are defined in these situations.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t like to see the players when we win 3-0, 4-0 in 10, 14, 15, 18 games in a row. That doesn\u2019t define who we really are. Four games without winning \u2013 1-0 (down) in a tough stadium.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey don\u2019t need to prove to me what they are capable of, because they are an extraordinary group of players and characters. But the competition demands to prove it again. It\u2019s normal to say \u2018City are not the same \u2013 it\u2019s over\u2019.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, that\u2019s nice, let them prove we want to still be there. Let\u2019s do it. It\u2019s so nice. We need that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Guardiola confirmed that top-scorer Erling Haaland, who missed the game with a stress fracture to his foot, would likely also miss the midweek trip to Belgrade to face Red Star and next weekend\u2019s clash with Crystal Palace.<\/p>\n

Winger Jeremy Doku was also missing against Luton.<\/p>\n

The manager added: \u201cWeek by week will dictate how (Haaland) feels. Doku is muscular, it\u2019s not a big issue like Kevin (De Bruyne) was.\u201d<\/p>\n

Luton boss Edwards reflected on disappointing result that nevertheless proved his team were moving in the right direction.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf we continue to perform the way we have this week, we can achieve something really special this year,\u201d he said. \u201cI like the way the team is going. I love how hard they\u2019re working for each other.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think we\u2019re starting to change the narrative around Luton Town Football Club.\u201d<\/p>\n

Source: Read Full Article<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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