Pep Guardiola saw his side go down to Newcastle United in the Premier League on Sunday but praised the team for their performance in the match.
Harvey Barnes scored a double in the second half of the game at St. James’ Park on either side of a goal from City defender Ruben Dias. This goal ensured that the home team kept all three points and sent Manchester City home empty-handed.
This result comes after Arsenal downed Tottenham Hotspur in their own match to maintain their hold at the top of the table in the 2025/26 Premier League title race. City’s loss now sees them sit in third place, with seven points to catch up to the Gunners.
This has caused some worry among the fans of the club, who are hoping that their team can get back to the top. Guardiola, meanwhile, has called their most recent performance a brave one despite the loss.
“We gave everything,” he told the media at his post-match press conference. “We wanted to make a step like we have done in the last two months, but this is not an easy place to come after the international break.
“There is a long, long, long way to go.
“It was a tight game, chances for both sides. Gigio was extraordinary. We missed chances, and in the second half we conceded a goal.
“There were more chances for both sides, but we could not take the result.”
He also spoke about their upcoming busy schedule, stating that his team welcomes it as it will strengthen them ahead of the title run-ins.
“We’re used to it—we’ve won quadruples and trebles playing that way,” Guardiola said. “We want it. The trebles and quadruples [came from] playing on Saturday and Tuesday, then Tuesday and Friday, and Friday and Sunday. We are used to it. It’s not a problem.”
Meanwhile, Alan Shearer has hit back at Guardiola after some of his comments following the match.
“I understand his frustration because his team has been beaten and well-beaten in that second half,” Shearer said on Premier League Productions. “They didn’t create a lot. He’s raw just after the game; he’s seen his team beaten in a really tough game, but for me the concern would be how many chances they are giving up, not any refereeing decisions or bad luck.
“If Newcastle had their shooting boots on, they should have scored six or seven—they missed four absolute sitters. The way they carved City open would be a bigger concern for me.
“They are certainly not as good as they were, and we might never see them as good as what they were when they were on that unbelievable run,” Shearer added. “I mean, the standards that they set in terms of winning trophies, goals, and all of those things, they were brilliant, and I’m not sure we’ll see them get to that again.
