Pep Guardiola has shrugged off taunts from rival supporters, joking that perhaps they have a point in chanting that he is "getting sacked in the morning."
That was the chant that rang around Anfield as Manchester City slumped to their sixth defeat in seven games, Liverpool's 2-0 win securing them an 11-point lead over the champions, who now find themselves moored in fifth place. Guardiola was not prepared to take the grief without fighting back, holding six fingers aloft to the crowd, a reference to the half dozen Premier League titles he has won rather than the string of defeats that could prove cataclysmic for their title challenge.
The City boss has had to get used to the baiting of away grounds of late even if there is little prospect of him departing 10 days after signing an extension to his contract at the Etihad Stadium.
"All the stadiums want to sack me. It started at Brighton," Guardiola told Sky Sports. "Maybe they are right with the results we've been having. I didn't expect that at Anfield. They didn't do it at 1-0, but at 2-0. Maybe they should have sung it in the past.
"I didn't expect it from the people from Liverpool but it's fine, it's part of the game, and I understand completely. We've had incredible battles together. I have a respect for them."
The latest defeat of City's slump was perhaps the most damaging yet, not least because the two-goal margin of defeat flattered a side outshot 16-4, giving up over three expected goals while creating just 0.78. Trailing Arsenal, Chelsea and Brighton as well as the league leaders, a Rodri-less City look vulnerable at the back and unable to craft chances like they used to add the other end.
With Mateo Kovacic also missing a duo of Ilkay Gundogan and Bernardo Silva found themselves overwhelmed by Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai while their defense had no answers for the direct running of Luis Diaz or Mohamed Salah's vision.
"We didn't have a pre-season and then injuries, but we know that and we have to survive with that," Guardiola acknowledged. "We competed but didn't create many chances.
"We don't have the pace in the middle right now and they are stronger in the duels and you have to survive with the ball. We're not good in transitions over 30-40 meters compared to them. We had to adapt and we did it. I cannot forget which players I have.
"I am here sitting as a manager and defending what we have done in the past thanks to them and more than ever I want to be with them and hug them. We have to change results and in the right time we will take the decision."
Liverpool boss Arne Slot, meanwhile, finds himself nine points clear at the top of the Premier League, an advantage that no side has yet frittered away from the 13-game mark. However, Slot insists that his rivals are capable of a record just like the 11 wins, a draw and defeat that his side have put together at the outset.
"I don't think anyone, including me, would have predicted this [start]," he said. "I knew Jurgen [Klopp] left the team in a very good place. But still, to win so much with all the difficult teams we have played already is not something you could predict at the start of the season.
"But I saw Arsenal yesterday and Chelsea today and I saw City, they will come back because these teams have so much quality. They could go on the same run as us. So we have to stay sharp and focused."
