Daily Star

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- By JEREMY CROSS

PEP GUARDIOLA wants his Manchester City players take out their frustratio­n on Hoffenheim tonight.

The Premier League champions were left stunned following Saturday’s 2-0 defeat away to Chelsea that saw Liverpool overtake them at the top.

Now Guardiola wants to get that loss out of their system and bounce back to winning form in their final Champions League group game.

The Spaniard, who revealed playmaker David Silva could be sidelined for the rest of the year with a groin problem, said: “The players were a bit more sad than normal.

“But it’s unusual not to lose a game.

“What’s unusual is what we’ve done in the last 15 months.

“I’ve no argument with the way we lost – I don’t have anything bad to say to my players.

“Maybe we’ll lose one game, but it’s incredible to review the game and how we played considerin­g the quality of the opponents.

“We had an incredible first half except for eight minutes but that can happen against a good team.

“It’s part of the process and we have to learn.

“We are able to win MAN CITY (4-1-4-1): Ederson; Walker, Kompany, Otamendi, Zinchenko; Gundogan; Sane, Delph, B Silva, Mahrez; Jesus. HOFFENHEIM (4-5-1): Baumann; Kaderabek, Bicakcic, Hubner, Vogt; Demirbay, Schulz, Zuber, Belfodil, Kramaric; Joelinton.

Man City Lyon Shakhtar Hoffenheim a lot of games, but we are able to lose a lot too.

“I said after the game at Chelsea, in all the sports, the big teams lose games. You accept it and move on.”

Guardiola insists that the setback will only make his players wiser and stronger.

He is desperate for his side to secure the point needed to finish top of Group F and secure an easier game in the last 16 and said: “It’s a real tough game but we are already in the next stage, that’s important.

“We want to win to finish first. The last 16 is always tough. There’s a bit of advantage to play the second leg at home, but whichever team we face will be tough.”

Silva joins Sergio Aguero and Kevin De Bruyne on the sidelines and Guardiola added: “If I could have one thing, it would be to get my players back. We cannot survive with 15 players.”

German winger Leroy Sane, who has scored seven goals in his last 11 games for club and country, said: “We are full of hunger to keep going on, to get the next points and get back to the top.

“We’re really motivated to get back in front of Liverpool.”

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