"We Don't Deserve...": Manchester City Manager Pep Guardiola's Blunt Verdict

Pep Guardiola takes Manchester City back to Bournemouth in the FA Cup quarter-finals on Sunday hoping to avenge the defeat that sparked their stunning decline this season. City's 32-game unbeaten run in the Premier League came to a shock end when they were beaten 2-1 at Bournemouth in November. Coming just days after a League Cup last-16 exit at Tottenham, it was the first time City had lost successive games in all competitions since September 2023. City, champions for the previous four seasons, surrendered pole position in the Premier League to Liverpool as a result of their loss at the Vitality Stadium and won only once in their next 11 games in all competitions.

Looking back at City's first-ever defeat to Bournemouth, Guardiola -- whose team are fifth in the league -- acknowledged he could see the signs of their impending collapse.

"It was our first defeat in the Premier League this season. We have to learn from it and try to reach the semi-finals," Guardiola told reporters on Friday.

"That was the first game where we were a little bit not competitive in terms of the standards we required.

"The game before we lost in the (League) Cup against Spurs. We were good there. But I could not turn around the symptoms that the (Bournemouth) game started, in terms of being present and winning duels.

"I tried for many months. This time it took more time."

With their dynastic reign over English football suddenly fading, City have been reduced to fighting to qualify for next season's Champions League, while a third FA Cup triumph in the Guardiola era would salvage a little pride.

'In the bad moments you learn'

"The target is to reach the FA Cup semi-finals for seven years in a row, then after that we have to win games to qualify