Man City: Lescott, Crouch give Guardiola resignation verdict after Aston Villa defeat
Joleon Lescott doesn’t think Man City boss Pep Guardiola is “anywhere close to resigning” after a 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa on Saturday.
Jhon Duran and Morgan Rogers scored the goals for Aston Villa with Unai Emery’s side missing a number of other good chances, before Phil Foden scored a consolation in second-half injury time.
The defeat saw Man City drop down to sixth in the Premier League table and could drop two more places on Sunday if Fulham and Bournemouth both win their matches.
It is now just one win in 12 matches for the Citizens in an unprecedented run of results for a Guardiola side with talk of the Catalan leaving among fans of other clubs.
But Lescott doesn’t think that Man City boss Guardiola will be resigning any time soon, the former England defender said on TNT Sports: “I don’t think Guardiola is anywhere close to resigning. He’s someone that thrives on a challenge. He will see this as a challenge. I don’t think he’s anywhere close to thinking about resigning.”
Fellow pundit Peter Crouch added: “I think he stays. I think he leaves when he wants to. It’s whether he can turn it around.
“The man’s a genius. He’s changed the face of football in this country. He’s not had this test anywhere he’s been. He’s one of the greatest we’ve ever seen. You’d expect him to turn it around.”
When asked if it was still a possibility for Man City to defend their Premier League title this season, Crouch continued: “I think you have to (write City off in title race). They’re not showing signs of title-winning form.”
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Former Man City goalkeeper Shay Given claims some of the players’ “legs are gone” but he finds it “hard to fathom” that Guardiola could leave.
Given said on Saturday: “We’ve never seen this before, one win in 12. It’s just such a terrible run and lots of defeats in that as well.
“It’s not like they’re having lots of draws, there are so many defeats in that run as well.
“I don’t know what happens next. Is Pep Guardiola under pressure? Is that a crazy question? Does Pep Guardiola walk? I don’t know, it’s just so hard to fathom.
“We talk about the age of the squad as well and Morgan Rogers has been the star man for Villa today and he’s ex-Manchester City. Cole Palmer, ex-Manchester City, Jadon Sancho, ex-Manchester City, Liam Delap, ex-Manchester City.
“They let all these young players leave the club and now he’s in a real rut, Pep Guardiola.
“Their legs are gone, they couldn’t match Villa physically, couldn’t match them tactically. They were miles off it so what happens next? That’s the question.”
