Pep Guardiola’s first words on seeing Man City’s record-breaking run end

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Manchester City suffered their first defeat of the Premier League season when they went down 2-1 at Bournemouth on Saturday afternoon.

Goals from Antoine Semenyo and Evanlison put the Cherries in control against the champions at the Vitality Stadium, with a late Josko Gvardiol goal a mere consolation on the south coast.

As well as seeing their unbeaten 2024/25 record end, the defeat also brought the curtain down on City’s club-record 32-game unbeaten Premier League streak, with this their first loss since December 2023.

City also lost their Carabao Cup last-16 tie against Tottenham on Wednesday as Guardiola deals with the club’s injury crisis.

Pep Guardiola on end of Man City’s record run

Speaking about the end of this record-breaking run to Sky Sports after the game, Guardiola said: “We would like to keep defending it but how many games and months we did it… it’s great.

“We have another game in two days in Portugal and we have to go again.”

The defeat means that City sit second in the Premier League table, two points behind leaders Liverpool, with Guardiola quick to praise Andoni Iraola’s side for their victory.

“They had chances, we created as well at the end too, but we could not win any balls from the wingers.

“They were difficult to play in the first half,” he added. “We knew how they would play. It was well-deserved. The guys give everything because after nine years together they always will.

“They had chances, we created as well at the end too, but we could not win any balls from the wingers.

Man City injury latest

Guardiola was able to welcome Kyle Walker back to his starting line-up, but admitted that he has rushed the England man back.

“Kyle [Walker], 16 days didn’t train with us until yesterday. Nathan [Ake] made an incredible effort, it’s not just about that [injuries].”

Pre-match doubts Savinho, Kevin De Bruyne and Jeremy Doku were fit enough to make the bench, with the latter coming on for the final five minutes of the match, but that came after two fresh absences from the matchday squad were revealed.

Neither John Stones or Ruben Dias travelled to the south coast with the squad after both featured against Spurs midweek.

“They are out for a little bit of a long time,” was Guardiola’s cryptic pre-match update on the pair.

Dias and Stones join Jack Grealish, Rodri and Oscar Bobb on the club’s injury list, with City’s next game a trip to Lisbon on Tuesday night when they will face Sporting, managed by the incoming Man United boss Ruben Amorim, in the Champions League. A Premier League visit to Brighton follows before the international break next Saturday.