Pep Guardiola has acknowledged that his optimism might be seen as "delusional" after claiming Manchester City's loss to Liverpool could mark a pivotal moment in his team's season.
The City manager recognised the Reds had earned their triumph, with Liverpool solidifying its position at the Premier League's pinnacle, now enjoying a significant 11-point lead over the defending champion. An early goal from Cody Gakpo and a second-half penalty by Mohamed Salah secured a 2-0 victory for the Merseyside team at Anfield on Sunday.
With Liverpool extending its lead at the top of the Premier League to nine points at the top and City trailing by 11 points, Guardiola conceded: "We congratulate Liverpool for a well-deserved victory. The first 15-20 minutes we experienced like many other times coming here in our prime. We suffered, they deserved the goal.
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"They are so fast, quicker, stronger than us in that position in a game. I have the feeling that from here we start to build something. Call me delusional but I have the feeling that from here we will start to build back to winning games and confidence."
Guardiola continued: "If today we give up when you come to Anfield, you go home with a terrible result. The team was there all the time, resilient in the bad moments knowing what was going to happen because we have experienced many times and that they could not drop and be negative.
"The last 15-20 minutes in the first half and the second half for the first 25-30 minutes the game was what we wanted without the threat that we expected to create with our passes. We didn't create much. You have to play games to create chances and we don't have it.
"Thank you to Bernardo (Silva), Manu (Nunes), Rico (Lewis) to play in a position that they're not used to to fight against Gravenberch, his first control is amazing, and then the next line of Mac Allister and Szoboszlai and later Jones. We made an incredible effort."
Despite recent struggles, including losing six of their last seven games across all competitions and four consecutive Premier League defeats, Guardiola isn't focusing on titles yet. "Our target cannot be talking about titles in November or December but we didn't do it when we were top of the league," said the City boss.
"At the end, we are not far away from Arsenal or teams there but Liverpool win all the games in the Champions League and in the Premier League have just lost one here. That means how good they are doing. All we can do is congratulate them and learn from Liverpool.
"I lived better before than now. Even the taste of the wine was better. But I am incredibly honest with myself and when we were winning a lot my perspective was that I am fortunate to live that and now I am not depressed that everything is going bad.
"It looks like what we have done in the past is easy, but I know with Jurgen Klopp, the Liverpool that we beat, or Arsenal in the last seasons, how strong they are, but now we are not as strong as we were, that is the reality, for many, many, many circumstances. I want the team back, and the players back. It is important because now the training sessions are better and four or five players are coming back."
