Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has jokingly stated he will retire at the end of the season if he achieves a certain feat.
The reigning European champions are now winless in four Premier League games after they were stunned 1-0 by Aston Villa on Wednesday night.
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The result marked the first-time Villa have beaten City in a league game since 2013, while Guardiola's side has also conceded nine goals in the abovementioned four matches, with the club having not won in the league for more than a month now.
With City now six points adrift of log leaders Arsenal, their hopes of claiming another treble look to have suffered another blow after the defeat at Villa Park.
Speaking ahead of that game, Guardiola emphasised how difficult it is to do what the Citizens did in historic fashion last season.
According to The Sun, in an interview shortly before kick-off, he jokingly told former City star Gael Clichy: "If we win the treble this season, I'll retire. That's for sure.
"I know it is extremely difficult, how many incredible teams have been in England and just one with Sir Alex Ferguson has done it and ourselves last season.
"When we spoke, prepare well for the first game and how we try to do it and then the second and now the third. We will see our level and the competition itself dictates your level, the opponent dictates, the challenge is higher but in September, October, November, thinking about the title, forget about it."
Speaking after the 1-0 loss to the Villans, though, the Catalan boss admitted that Unai Emery's men deserved their victory.
"The better team won," Guardiola said. "I said to the players: 'In football, this happens. I know you wanted to win, I know you tried, because you have proved to me and everyone many, many times.'
"Now the results are not so good when they always were [previously]. I have to think about it. I have to sleep, to reflect, I have to see the games, how the players [did] with this one and try to do it.
"It was really difficult because they are really physical and able to control many aspects. That is the reason why they are up there, playing good football and we could not do it.
"It's my duty, my job to find a way to come back from the situation because over many years together we were able to find a way to play games – sometimes playing good, sometimes not but always we found a way to do it – and now we are struggling. We have to change the dynamic."
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