Pep Guardiola makes Champions League admission after Man City’s defeat to Nottingham Forest

Manchester City lost their ninth game of the season on Saturday after a 1-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest and they are now in danger of missing out on a place in the Champions League

Pep Guardiola has admitted that not being in the Champions League next season ‘would be a problem’ but insists its not the end of Manchester City ’s dynasty.

The club’s boss pointed to the number of teams who have tried – and failed – to qualify for European football’s premier competition but maintained that it is possible to mount a comeback after their 1-0 loss to Nottingham Forest on Saturday.

He said: “Qualification for the Champions League would be a big success but you have to win it. Whether there are five, six or seven (places) you have to win games. I want to qualify for the Champions League.

“It would not be good (if we didn’t) but I saw what happened with other Premier League teams in the past. Not being in the Champions League would be a problem but there are teams who didn’t qualify who have come back and they are there now.

“How many years were Manchester City in the Champions League by February? Ten years? No, more than that. And we before that they never played in the competition.”

England may be handed another spot in the Champions League through Uefa’s co-efficient rankings. That would leave Guardiola with a get-out and he maintained that the club is still aiming for that top-four finish.

He added: “We are used to doing exceptional things and we have to try to do it but we wake up in the morning and try to continue and do a good season next season.’

“In knockout games sometimes details make the difference but in the Premier League over 38 games if you are not able to finish in the first four or five it is because we were not good enough.

“We will have to continue next season, but we have 10 games, it is still in our hands and we are going to try.”

City are currently fifth in the Premier League table, which could be enough to guarantee Champions League football as things stand, but Brighton, Aston Villa, Bournemouth and Newcastle are all within three points of them and ready to take advantage of any more slip-ups.

The Sky Blues are still in touching distance of third and fourth place, however. Nottingham Forest are four points above them on 51 points, while Chelsea are two points above them.

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