London: Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola insisted he had been proved right in dismissing any idea the champions would go the campaign unbeaten after a 2-0 defeat at Chelsea saw them lose for the first time in the Premier League this season and top spot to Liverpool.
However, Guardiola still took pride in City’s performance and urged his side to usurp Jurgen Klopp’s men, who took a one-point lead in the title race with a 4-0 win at Bournemouth earlier on Saturday.
“I said that is not going to happen. We are not here to be invincible, we are here to be champions,” said Guardiola.
“We are calm, we move forward, it is part of the competition. There is no sport in the world: tennis; basketball; golf that one team win always. When people are saying that they are selling an illusion.
“It’s part of the competition. You can lose, but it is how you lose.”
City lacked the cutting edge of the injured Sergio Aguero up front as despite dominating the first-half, they failed to profit with Raheem Sterling and Leroy Sane missed big chances.
The visitors were then hit with a sucker punch right on half-time when N’Golo Kante fired Eden Hazard’s pass into the roof of the net with Chelsea’s first serious attack.
And Guardiola warned that City’s dreams of winning the Champions League for the first time this season could end in similar fashion if they don’t learn to kill games against the toughest opposition when they are on top.
“That is the Champions League level. People say Man City are favourites for the Champions League. That is what is going to happen in the future on the biggest stages, but the way we played today is absolutely incredible.”
Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri had lost all of his previous three meetings against Guardiola and was growing increasingly frustrated at his side’s inability to hold possession as the visitors dominated the first half.
But after two defeats in their previous three league games, Chelsea bounced back in style as they went onto have the better of the second period after the boost of Kante’s opener.
“We won today but we have to say we were a bit lucky in the first 25 minutes,” said Sarri.
“We played very well in the last minutes of the first half and the first 20 minutes of the second half.
“I’m very happy because we know it is not easy to win against Man City in this moment.
“For me is not easy to win against Guardiola. Now we have to find this kind of motivation and need to play with this level of determination and aggression in other matches.”
Son Heung-min and Dele Alli gave Tottenham a 2-0 victory at Leicester City as Mauricio Pochettino’s gamble in resting Harry Kane paid off handsomely.
The Spurs manager left Kane on the substitutes’ bench as he planned ahead for Tuesday’s vital Champions League game in Barcelona.
And while his side lacked a little of their normal spark without their attacking spearhead, they had enough to see off the disappointing Foxes with relative ease.
Son opened the scoring at the end of a dismal first half with a left-footed rocket from the edge of the penalty area before crossing for Alli to head home the second after half-time.
