'Call me delusional' - Upbeat Pep Guardiola issues clear Man City message despite Liverpool defeat

Pep Guardiola asked to be called delusional as he spoke about the platform Manchester City could take from their defeat to Liverpool.

A City side short of form and fitness were destroyed by a rampant Liverpool in the opening 20 minutes but only conceded one goal and were in the game until a second-half penalty from Mohamed Salah 15 minutes from time. The Blues once again showed defensive and attacking problems that looks like it will cost them a seventh league title in eight years, and Guardiola said that this team are so far off some of the 'prime' City sides that have come to Anfield in previous years that it wasn't necessary to illustrate the gulf.

However, he was pleased with the commitment shown by those on the pitch and is also encouraged by recent training sessions as more of his players return from injuries that have torpedoed their campaign. Forest at the Etihad on Wednesday is not easy - they are just one place below them in the table and in better form - but the City manager is convinced that improvement is coming.

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"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," he said.

"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. Our target cannot be talking about titles in November or December but we didn't do it when we were top of the league.

"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. But at the same time we are still in December, not the end of the season so many things can still happen and decisions can be made more drastically.

"I'm sitting here still defending what we defend because this group of players gave me absolutely everything - probably the best years of my life as a manager. But I have to find a solution with the players to try to win games."

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