Exclusive: Pep Guardiola is seeking a ‘reset’ for Manchester City, as he feels the team lacks the necessary players to compete for the Premier League title.

**Guardiola Calls for Manchester City to Reset Amidst Struggles**

Pep Guardiola, the esteemed manager of Manchester City, has made a candid admission ahead of the crucial Premier League clash against Aston Villa this Saturday. Speaking exclusively to TNT Sports, Guardiola expressed the urgent need for his team to hit the reset button, stating that he currently lacks the players capable of clinching the Premier League title.

As City prepares for the match at Villa Park, which will be broadcast live on TNT Sports and discovery+, Guardiola urged his squad to put aside their past glories. Despite having dominated English football by winning six of the last seven league titles, City now finds itself a daunting nine points behind league leaders Liverpool, having played one game more. The team’s form has been alarming, with just one victory in their last eleven matches across all competitions.

In a frank assessment of the situation, Guardiola declared that all previous achievements “don’t count” and “don’t help us to win games” during this challenging period. “Now it’s like we have to start, to put what we have done here on the floor and step forwards and say, it doesn’t count, it’s over,” he stated. The Catalan manager emphasised the need to regain a fresh mindset, acknowledging that the current circumstances are more challenging than ever.

When pressed about the factors that contributed to his previous successes at City, Guardiola appeared at a loss. “I don’t know,” he admitted. “If I knew it, I would apply it right now.” He reflected on the stability and positive atmosphere that characterised their past triumphs, noting that the team is now grappling with a significant downturn in form. “We’ve had an incredible eight years, now we’re having more than 40 bad, bad days in terms of results,” he lamented.

Just months ago, City was celebrating an unprecedented achievement of four consecutive league titles, having staged a remarkable comeback from eight points behind Arsenal. However, the current reality is stark, with key players like Rodri sidelined and others such as Ruben Dias, John Stones, and Nathan Ake struggling with injuries.

When asked if City could bridge the gap to reclaim the title, Guardiola shook his head, stating, “No. We don’t have the players. It’s more difficult. I don’t have the feeling now. Maybe it’s going to happen, who knows?” He stressed the importance of focusing on short-term goals rather than lofty ambitions, highlighting that consistency is crucial for success in the Premier League and Champions League.

Guardiola’s current predicament is particularly striking, as he has never before lost five matches in a row during his illustrious managerial career, which includes stints at Barcelona and Bayern Munich. However, he refrained from labelling this as the toughest challenge of his career, suggesting that he faced even greater hurdles at the beginning of his tenures in previous roles.

“I don’t know if you judge the challenge in terms of results,” he pondered. “We have the challenge when I started at Barcelona, for example, I was an unknown manager. Now is the challenge? I would say, I won everything, we won everything. But it’s a problem. The history is there.”

In conclusion, while Guardiola acknowledges the current difficulties, he remains hopeful that the team can find a way to navigate through this turbulent period. As City gears up for the match against Aston Villa, all eyes will be on whether they can begin to turn their fortunes around.