This admission that he is “not good enough” should be seen first and foremost as a device deployed by a manager who needs to protect his players now more than ever. But the difficulty with casually passing it off that way is that in highlighting his own failings, Guardiola has a point.

Manchester City have won just one match from their last 10 in all competitions, their worst run of form since Guardiola took charge in 2016.

Pep Guardiola declared himself "not good enough" after Manchester City's season sunk to a new low after a 2-1 defeat to Manchester United.