Pep Guardiola promises Manchester City 'will be back' after fourth straight defeat

Manager Pep Guardiola admitted injury-hit Manchester City are struggling to compete for 90 minutes after Brighton's stunning 2-1 victory saw the Spaniard suffer his fourth successive defeat - a first in his managerial career. City had previously lost to Tottenham in the League Cup, Bournemouth in the league, and then suffered a 4-1 thrashing by Sporting in the Champions League on Tuesday that had Bernardo Silva saying City are in a "dark place" . Erling Haaland scored in the 23rd minute and had a couple of narrow misses in a first half where City had five shots on target. But the Premier League champions collapsed in the closing stages as Joao Pedro equalised before Matt O'Riley bagged Brighton's winner seven minutes from full-time. For the first time in his glittering career as a manager, Guardiola has been beaten four times in a row. "Today we played really good in the first half but we couldn't finish the game," Guardiola said. "We were not consistent to maintain our game and our intensity and press and be aggressive for 90 minutes. The level we are playing is really good in certain moments but we are not able to continue for a long time. "I'm pretty sure when the players come back (after the international break) and we make some individual qualities in the team, we will be back." City have been rocked by injuries with Nathan Ake, John Stones, Jack Grealish and Ruben Dias all sidelined on Saturday, alongside longer-term absentees Rodri and Oscar Bobb. After their 32-game unbeaten league run was ended by Bournemouth a week ago, it was another case of City not having the players available to get over the line. Manuel Akanji and Ake were fit enough only for the bench while Dias and John Stones were not in the squad, meaning 19-year-old Jahmai Simpson-Pusey was given a first league start in central defence. The makeshift backline came under pressure in the second half from Brighton that proved intolerable, Pedro levelling after a penalty area scramble then summer signing O'Riley capped just his second Seagulls appearance with a dramatic winner. "It can always happen one time in a lifetime, right?" said Guardiola of his unprecedented fourth straight defeat. "Always there's a first time. We've lost two games in the Premier League and we have to change it, get back to winning. We're in the position that we are in the table. "When the players come back I don't have any doubt that we will be back to our best. "Normally people lose games, right? Always there's a first time in life. This is my challenge, our challenge, and I like to face it. I will not step back at all. More than ever I want to do it. We will try again." Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler reflected on a fairy tale moment for his goalscoring substitutes as they made comebacks from periods out injured. "I'm happy for Joao and Matt that they came back after a long time with this impact, they worked hard in rehab, they didn't have an easy time," he said. "In life you get what you deserve, what you work for. Matt is a player with a positive mindset during injury, after surgery he came to the training ground and showed his personality." Liverpool opened up a five-point lead at the top of the Premier League as Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah struck in a 2-0 win over Aston Villa. The Reds took full advantage of Manchester City's latest defeat at Brighton to surge further clear of the champions. The Reds failed to hit the heights of their second-half humiliation of German champions Bayer Leverkusen in a 4-0 Champions League win in midweek. But Arne Slot's team were again defensively solid to protect a sixth clean sheet in 11 league games and take a firm grip on the title race. "We have a margin but it is small. Many challenges to come for us," said Slot. Liverpool's stunning start to life under Slot has made light of Jurgen Klopp's departure and midfielder Alexis Mac Allister conceded even he was not sure if the Reds could challenge for the title. "If we are top of the league by five points then it means something," said the Argentine international. "If you asked me before the season started I would not say we were candidates but now it looks like we are."

Pep Guardiola promises Manchester City 'will be back' after fourth straight defeat

Brighton secure stunning 2-1 win as Premier League champions slip further behind Liverpool