Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola pointed the finger squarely at himself, as his team's calamitous run of results continued with a late collapse resulting in a 2-1 loss to Manchester United in the Premier League on Sunday.

City was ahead until the 88th minute when it conceded a penalty that was converted by Bruno Fernandes. United landed a sucker punch two minutes later, when Amad Diallo scored the winner.

"I don't have a defense. I'm the boss, I'm the manager and I'm not good enough," Guardiola said. "I have to find a solution, and I can't find a solution. It is as simple as that. I am not doing well, that is the truth."

City has one victory from its last 11 games in all competitions in what has turned into a fully-fledged crisis for the defending champion, and has everyone from players to pundits shocked.

"Today, in the last minutes, we played like under-15s," said City midfielder Bernardo Silva.

Former United defender Gary Neville said on Sky Sports: "This just does not happen to Manchester City, it does not happen to Pep Guardiola.

"These fans have not seen the like for many, many years. The players are serial winners and serial champions."

Guardiola, who recently signed a two-year extension with City, looked disconsolate when he walked into the tunnel after the final whistle, with the United fans gleefully singing: "He's getting sacked in the morning".

Guardiola had blamed the condensed fixture schedule for the number of injuries his side has suffered this season, but he made no excuses in a long and heartfelt post-game news conference.

" (We were leading) 3-0 against Feyenoord at 75 minutes and we draw that (Champions League) game. Is that the schedule? The injuries? No. We have to win that game," the Catalan said.

"Today, we have to win that game, because apart from Bruno Fernandes (who had a late chance that he put wide) nothing happened. So, we gave it away again.

"If it's always the same problem, it can be fixed. You say: 'Ah, it's that player.' It can be fixed — he doesn't play. But it's not that."

City failed to register a shot on target in the second half.

"I'm incredibly well paid to handle these situations, to handle the press conference, accept all the criticism, but I want to be honest, in one or two seasons, over a year, year-and-a-half, we were able to lose (only) eight games," Guardiola said.

"We were top of the league and the only unbeaten team in Europe.

"And, in one month and 10 days, we lost eight games. This is a big club, and the club, of course, cannot accept it.

"I am sitting here in this press conference because of what I have done in the past; otherwise, in big clubs, they don't sustain a manager that way.

"I knew this would be a tough season but I didn't expect it would be as hard as it is right now.

"I want it, desperately. But eight (losses) out of 11? I'm here to try and will try again and again. That is the reality."

A huge relief

The win was a huge relief for new United boss Ruben Amorim, who had won just one of his first four Premier League matches.

"I think, for the fans, it has a deep meaning, especially in this context, in this moment," the former Sporting Lisbon boss said after his first Manchester derby experience.

"We had a difficult moment one week ago against Nottingham (Forest) at home with a storm. It was a really tough moment after the game.

"Today, we are more happy, but it's three points that we have to continue (to build on)."

United finished the day 13th in the Premier League table — where it started — after Tottenham handed out a 5-0 hammering to bottom club Southampton.

Agencies