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Manchester City’s 4-1 Champions League defeat at Sporting on Tuesday saw them lose three matches in a row for the first time since 2018 but manager Pep Guardiola said he is looking forward to the challenge of getting them back on track.

The defeat in Europe’s elite club competition came after they were knocked out of the League Cup by Tottenham Hotspur and had a 32-match unbeaten run in the Premier League ended by Bournemouth.

Injury-hit City were without the likes of Rodri, Jack Grealish, Ruben Dias and John Stones and gave a first start to 19-year-old defender Jahmai Simpson-Pusey in the match.

“It is a tough challenge, but I am here. It will be a tough season – we knew that from the start. But this is what it is. I like it, I love it, I want to face it and lift my players and try it …,” Guardiola told reporters.

“I have to try and find an explanation. Sometimes it is just football. We have to accept it. Life is that, sport is that.”

City, second in the Premier League behind Liverpool, travel to face eighth-placed Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday.

“We are coming back to Manchester to prepare the game against Brighton. I am not giving up. Maybe people are waiting but I am not giving up,” Guardiola said.