Guardiola gives up on title chase

After watching his team lose 4-0 at Everton on Sunday, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said his first season in English soccer will not end with a title.

City was beaten for the fourth time in its last eight league games as former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss Guardiola endured the most lopsided league defeat of his glittering managerial career.

And with his side 10 points behind leader Chelsea following Sunday's setback, Guardiola conceded the title is already beyond City.

"The first one, yeah," he said when asked if top spot is now out of the question. "The first one is now a 10-point gap and that is a lot.

"The second one is three points, so we have to see. I've spoken with the players for the last three weeks to forget about the table. I just want them to focus on the next game and do their best.

"After that, at the end of the season, we'll analyze how our level was, our performance, the coach, the players."

There will likely be major activity in the transfer market as Guardiola looks to make his mark on an underachieving City squad.

The Spaniard traces his team's troubles on failing to covert chances, while conceding to the opposition's first shot in four of their past seven games.

"Believe me, I would like to know why," said Guardiola. "I am concerned and worried when opponents arrive in front six or seven times and create a lot of chances.

"That's then our problem to control the game. I know in many cases the people don't agree with me, but to control the game means you have the possession to create enough chances while conceding as few as possible.

"That has happened. But what happens when they arrive for the first time - it's a goal! That is tough for the players. I was a player and understand how tough it is for them right now.

"We are trying to do absolutely everything. But it's not the first time it's happened this season.

"I had eight years as a coach and won seven titles. That is an exceptional situation, but it is not a good argument for our people and I have to look forward for the best solution for our players to win again."

Embarrassing

Romelu Lukaku and Kevin Mirallas put Everton in control in the opening 46 minutes, before teenagers Tom Davies and Ademola Lookman, with their first goals for the club, completed the rout.

But despite the embarrassing result, Guardiola insisted his desire to succeed in the Premier League has not faded.

"I'm so happy in Manchester," he said. "Of course I prefer to win than lose, but I'm so happy with the way I'm trying to do the best job possible to achieve what I think is the best way to play.

"When we beat Crystal Palace and Burnley I was so happy, but that was not the way I wanted to play. We couldn't make three or four passes. We were so lucky."

In contrast, Everton manager Ronald Koeman is seeing huge improvements in his squad and was able to use new signing Morgan Schneiderlin, bought from Manchester United last week, as a second half substitute.

"It was a perfect afternoon," said Koeman. "How we played in the second half was really outstanding, really perfect.

"It might have been impossible to play at a higher level in every aspect of football."