‘I knew this season would be tough… I didn’t expect this!’ Pep Guardiola in disbelief at City form

Pep Guardiola admits he didn’t expect his Manchester City team to be struggling so much despite pre-season fears.

The reigning champions are way off the pace languishing 12 points behind leaders Liverpool and face a fight to finish in the Champions League places.

The 2-1 defeat at Aston Villa left Guardiola to once again question his own performance as he watched his City team lose their ninth match in 12.

“Always we win a lot of games and titles,” he said.

“I always said that we are going to lose games. Sometimes we win 13 or 14 in a row and we draw one and lose one.

“’What happened? Why did you lose a game?’ It’s football, of course.

“I could start before the season with the little details that I had I my mind, I said that it will be a tough season.

“But I didn’t expect in this way to be honest.”

City return to action on Boxing Day against Everton with the gap to fourth placed Nottingham Forest now at five points.