Man City Fans Disagree With Pep Guardiola Over Who’s to Blame for Leverkusen Loss

Pep Guardiola accepted that he was to blame for Manchester City’s 2-0 home defeat by Bayer Leverkusen after making 10 changes to his team.

Midfielder Nico Gonzalez was the only player to keep his place in City’s starting XI following Saturday’s 2-1 loss at Newcastle United, as Pep Guardiola dropped the likes of Gianluigi Donnarumma, Bernardo Silva and Erling Haaland to the bench.

City have relied heavily on Haaland’s goals this season. He has scored 19 so far, while Tuesday’s 11 starters had only four between them.

By the time Guardiola threw Haaland on as a substitute in the 65th minute, City were already two goals behind courtesy of strikes from Alejandro Grimaldo and Patrik Schick.

And despite Haaland registering four shots from his nine touches of the ball, City were kept to nil for only the third time in their last 25 games.

Pep Guardiola accepts the blame after Man City lose at home to Bayer Leverkusen

Speaking to TNT Sports after Tuesday’s defeat, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola admitted that his decision to change 10 members of his starting XI was likely a crucial factor behind his team’s poor result.

“I understand. I understand your question,” he said in response to a reporter’s suggestion that his team selection had cost City a possible three points. “Absolutely, I have to accept it. I have to accept.

“If we win, it would not be a problem. I accept maybe it’s a lot, but playing every two, three, four days [changes are necessary]. But maybe it’s too much, you’re right. Seeing the result, maybe it’s too much.”

Man City fans point the finger at £75m-rated Savinho

Although Pep Guardiola appeared to accept responsibility for Tuesday’s disappointing result, many Manchester City fans on social media were quick to identify an alternative culprit.

Brazilian winger Savinho played the full 90 minutes for City but failed to impress. This was his 15th club appearance of the season and his eighth start.

Savinho was the subject of interest from Tottenham Hotspur during the summer transfer window but the proposed deal broke down due to City valuing him at £75 million.

One disgruntled City fan tweeted after Tuesday’s game: “Not shipping Savinho to Spurs for £75m is probably some of the worst transfer business ever done by City. I wonder what senior figure stopped that move from happening, because it was moronic.”

Another fan added: “We turned down £75m for Savinho. We’d be lucky to get that for Bobb and Savinho combined. Championship level stuff out there tonight.”

Among the cruel insults aimed at City’s No 26 was a message that read: “If you put Savinho’s brain in a cow it’d start barking.”

Some fans also pointed the finger at Guardiola, with one asking: “Who plays a Carabao Cup lineup in a Champions League match against the 2nd best team in the Bundesliga????”

Meanwhile, one fan took aim at both Guardiola and Savinho in one barbed tweet. It read: “Poor poor choice for the starting 11… this one is on Pep I’m afraid to say. Why he sticks with Savinho is beyond me. Worst winger at City in years.”

Savinho’s stats against Leverkusen

Why did Man City reject Tottenham’s summer offer for Savinho?

Contrary to the understanding of many Manchester City fans on social media, the Etihad Stadium club did not reject a £75m bid from Tottenham.

Spurs offered closer to £60m, which was turned down because it fell below City’s £75m asking price.

However, £60m would still have seen City make a tidy profit on a player who cost just over £30m when he arrived from City Football Group sister club Troyes in July 2024.

Since arriving in Manchester, Savinho has made 63 first-team appearances, scoring four goals.