Pep Guardiola admits he worries about Manchester City's winless streak

PEP GUARDIOLA admits he is worried as he tries to halt the longest winless run of his managerial career.

By Mike Whalley                                 

 
Pep Guardiola admits he's worried about Manchester City's winless streak

The Manchester City boss has gone six games without a victory as he prepares to take his team to West Brom on Saturday.

His longest run before that came in the spring of 2009, when he went five games without winning – but still ended that season with a treble of La Liga, the Copa Del Rey and the Champions League.

Asked what he learned from that run seven years ago, Guardiola said: “I don’t remember, it was a long time ago. I think it would have been a worry, like the same worry now.

“I don’t remember what I thought when I went five games at Barcelona without winning. I think the same right now – you have to win right now.

“You have to do it for the minds for the players. They deserve it [to win] because they didn’t play any game without intention, without passion. Until the last minute, they fight.”

Guardiola has played down concerns about Vincent Kompany’s long-term future at City after his injury-plagued captain came off at half-time during Wednesday’s EFL Cup defeat at Manchester United.

Kompany has a contract at the Etihad Stadium until 2019, although Guardiola hinted that the defenders future will be decided on merit.

The manager said: “He has a contract, no? He has a contract. So of course.

Vincent Kompany has struggled with injuries in recent seasons

“What is the problem now about Vincent and the future? He is a Manchester City player and the reason why he didn’t play the last two seasons regularly was because he was injured many, many times.

“We are trying to give him faith to play regularly. When he’s fit he is going to have the same options to play as his team-mates. Then it depends on my decision – his quality, performance, everything.”

 
Pep Guardiola admitted he could have taken the Real Madrid job over Zinedine Zidane

 
Pep Guardiola's latest loss came at the hands of Manchester United in the EFL Cup

Guardiola, meanwhile, insists that there is no chance of him managing Real Madrid, although the former Barcelona boss did not deny reports that he was approached for the job last November, before Rafa Benitez was sacked and Zinedine Zidane appointed.

He said: “I’m a follower of Barcelona. I don’t think Real Madrid needs a manager like me and I wouldn’t fit there either.”