Manchester City’s stunning slump deepened after losing to Aston Villa 2-1 in the Premier League on Saturday.Goals from Jhon Duran and Morgan Rogers at Villa Park consigned the four-time defending champion to a ninth defeat in 12 games in a season that is unravelling. Pep Guardiola’s team has won just once during that run.“We don’t have a defense for the results. They are not good,” Guardiola said.Third-placed Arsenal closed the gap on league leader Liverpool to three points with a 5-1 win at Crystal Palace, but has played two games more.City dropped to sixth in the standings, nine points below Liverpool, and has played two games more.“It’s about what I can do with my people to get the results back and continue,” Guardiola said. “If there is a moment that I cannot overthink, it is right now. Try to be simple, stick to my principles and give certainty to the team.”After winning six titles in seven years and an unprecedented four in a row, City’s remarkable fall shows little sign of stopping. Guardiola admitted last week he had not been good enough to turn his team’s form around.City was without a win in any of its last eight away games in all competitions. While it looks unlikely to win a fifth straight title, a place in the top four and Champions League qualification could also be in jeopardy after fourth-placed Nottingham Forest wo …
