Guardiola won't quit troubled Man City

The Spaniard insisted he has hunger to turn the woeful spell around

LONDON:

Pep Guardiola insists he will not walk out on troubled Manchester City as he strives to stop the champions' stunning decline.

Guardiola only recently signed a two-year contract extension but City's dismal form has raised questions about his future at the Etihad Stadium.

A nightmare run of nine defeats in 13 games, with just one win in that woeful spell, triggered suggestions the City boss could decide to quit if he cannot find an answer to his team's problems.

But, having led City to six Premier League titles in the past seven seasons, Guardiola is adamant he still has the hunger to turn the situation around.

"I will try, I will keep going. Sometimes you think the bad run will be ended earlier or it would be easier to fix it, but it takes more time," he said.

"I will not give up. I want to be here. I want to do it and, with the situation that we have, we have to do it.

"Of course I want it, everyone wants it. I don't want to disappoint my people in terms of the club, the fans, the people who love this club.

"I think all of us in our job want to do it well and please the people. That is undeniable, not a question mark.

"The biggest test is to come back again, but we have done that before."

Injuries have been a major factor in City's demise, leaving them languishing in seventh place in the Premier League.

Ballon d'Or winner Rodri is recovering from a long-term knee injury, while Ruben Dias, John Stones, Ederson, Kyle Walker, Jack Grealish and Matheus Nunes all missed the 1-1 draw with Everton on Boxing Day.

The usually prolific Erling Haaland missed a penalty that could have sealed a City win against Everton, extending his erratic form in an inconsistent season.

Haaland has scored just once in his last seven games, but Guardiola refused to blame the Norway striker or any of his team-mates.

"I don't have it in my education to start complaining, to point at people. It's happened, it's life, it's football, so let's try it again," he said.

"That's why we have had success, because always it is never enough, we will try it again and again and again. That's why we won a lot of titles.

"Every three days it was a game and win, win, win for many, many months and years. Now we have to do the same when results are not good."

City still have doubts over the fitness of a number of players as they bid to get back to winning ways at struggling Leicester on Sunday.

"Sometimes you have injuries," Guardiola said. "For how many years we were incredibly consistent but now, yes, we're a little bit down and the main reason is having so many important players injured.

"But I saw the team spirit, how we trained this week, how focused they are, how they try to practise."

Brighton forced to settle for a draw

Brighton & Hove Albion were held to a 0-0 draw by Brentford after dominating the mid-table Premier League clash but lacking a finishing touch despite having 24 shots at a misty American Express Stadium on Friday.

Fabian Hurzeler's hosts extended their winless run to six games and are 10th in the table with 26 points after 18 games, two points ahead of 11th-placed Brentford who are still without an away victory this season.

Hurzeler rued the two points lost.

"It's a disappointing feeling. In the locker room it's not a great atmosphere," he said.

"But in the end it's our responsibility, we have to learn to win these games. "In the end it's a business where you need to get results, we need to learn how to win these games."

Brighton peppered Mark Flekken's goal with shots all night after Julio Enciso set the tone in the fifth minute when Joao Pedro, with his back to goal, laid the ball off for the Paraguay international, who clattered his shot off the woodwork. AFP/REUTERS