Manchester City will be disappointed not to maintained their spot at the top of the Premier League table for longer than a week after their 2-1 defeat to AFC Bournemouth.
Pep Guardiola’s men were given a wake-up call at the Vitality Stadium in a game where they were perhaps fortunate to lose by only goal.
On one hand, Manchester City can attest to having chances to equalise or even score a heroic late winner in the dying embers of the game.
But simultaneously, Bournemouth carved City open time and again and if they were more clinical in front of goal, they could well and truly have humiliated the visitors on Saturday.
Having lost their first game in the Premier League this year, Pep Guardiola and Manchester City will not consider their latest loss as the sign of a crisis.
However, the Sky Blues have every reason to be concerned about how long their injury-ravaged squad can sustain results for.
Kyle Walker says Man City players played with injuries against Bournemouth
In the aftermath of the contest, Pep Guardiola confirmed Ruben Dias’ injury will rule him out of until after the international break while John Stones could also be injured in his side’s next two games.
Guardiola also revealed via journalist Mike Minay that Kyle Walker started despite not having trained while Manuel Akanji also followed suit despite recently suffering a groin strain that kept him out of contention against Spurs.
Walker has lauded several of his Manchester City teammates for playing with knocks against Bournemouth.
The 34-year-old said via Manchester Evening News: “I felt as good as possible. Sometimes the captain needs to step up when I could have maybe had a little bit longer but that’s no excuse.”
“I was there for the lads and full credit to everyone out there, people were playing with knocks, kicks, bruises, pulls and that just shows the determination and what they want to do for the badge or the club.”
Walker added: “We have to keep going because there’s a schedule. It’s a busy schedule, every three days for god knows how long. That’s just the way football is at the minute.”
Pep Guardiola thanked Nathan Ake for happily starting the game against Bournemouth after he asked him if he was ready to play on the morning of the encounter — despite his foot problem.
Walker revealed such a sacrifice makes Man City “stick together even more”
Walker went on to reveal that such sacrifices from the likes of Ake, Akanji and even himself makes Manchester City more united than usual.
“We stick together even more, me first and foremost as a captain have to make sure that I rally the troops up and we all stick together.”
Those that are injured, be there for the lads that are playing; those on the bench, be there for the lads that are playing and be ready when you’re on the bench to come on and make an impact.”
It goes to show that despite all their success, Manchester City have a group of players who are prepared to put their bodies on their line in every possible game.
This collective grit is what makes them such a mentally resolute side.
Pep Guardiola may be disappointed with City’s result against Bournemouth but witnessing his players’ motivation would have made him proud.
Manchester City are not showing any signs from their latest piece of sacrifice that they are ready to relinquish their stranglehold on English football.
