Pep Guardiola disappointed but hopes Manchester City's derby defeat adds sense of perspective

Two Paul Pogba goals and a Chris Smalling volley postponed City's title celebrations

Pep Guardiola could not hide his disappointment after Manchester City’s incredible 3-2 derby defeat but also hopes that Manchester United’s victory will help bring about a sense of perspective.

A win over Jose Mourinho’s side would have seen City crowned Premier League champions but United, inspired by Paul Pogba, came back from 2-0 down to win and postpone the Etihad’s celebrations.

Two Pogba second-half goals in the space of two minutes and Chris Smalling’s 69th-minute winner ended hopes of a dream coronation and a crestfallen Guardiola later apologised to supporters, albeit while remaining philosophical.

“Of course, we wanted to win today,” he said. “I am not going to deny that, but we know exactly which team we play. They are second in a good league, but I am here to try and analyse the feelings.

“I am sorry for the fans, but I don’t think they can have complaints about what we have done. When you analyse the game, it was good, so I cannot expect 30 minutes and the opponent doesn’t do absolutely anything.

“My dream is happening in the first half, when we didn’t concede one shot on target, but they have pride, a good manager and maybe in half-time he said: ‘Oh guys, we’ve got to do something more.’”

The defeat means that City must wait until at least next weekend before they can be crowned as champions.

Victory against Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley next Saturday will be enough if United lose at home to bottom club West Bromwich Albion the following day.

Guardiola hopes that this defeat, which follows Wednesday’s 3-0 Champions League reverse at the hands of Liverpool, adds a little perspective to City’s achievements this season.

“We lost it so for the fans it’s hard, but maybe we’re going to get more credit if we are able to win the Premier League,” he said.

“People since November, December say ‘the Premier League is done’, ‘the Premier League is done’, ‘the Premier League done’, and it was a tough fight to keep going every single weekend, to be focused because it’s not done.

“And, of course, now it is not done, so the people say, ‘you’re going to win’. Wait. In football everything can happen.”