Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola admitted that his team fell short of their best performance in their 2-1 Premier League defeat to Manchester United at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.

City initially took the lead through Joško Gvardiol’s first-half header, but United mounted a comeback in the second half with goals from Bruno Fernandes and Amad Diallo to claim a dramatic victory.

Reflecting on the loss in his post-match press conference, Guardiola acknowledged his side’s struggles this season.

“This year, it has happened many times. We’ve given away too much, like against Feyenoord. We’re not as fluid as we were before, and now we struggle for different reasons,” he said. “We put everything into the game, and it was almost closed except for one chance from Bruno. Nothing special—we gave away the two goals.”

Guardiola also admitted City were not at their best in key areas. “It’s a tough season. We didn’t play our best because, in some positions, we are not at our best,” he added.

The defeat continues a difficult run for Guardiola’s team as they grapple with inconsistency this season.