Pep Guardiola admits he was at fault for Man City's 2-0 defeat by Bayer Leverkusen as manager accepts making 10 CHANGES was a 'mistake'

Pep Guardiola took full responsibility for Manchester City's shock defeat by Bayer Leverkusen after making 10 changes.

The City boss claimed that the decision was a 'mistake' that cost his side on a night that now makes the challenge to avoid a playoff knockout game much tougher.

Erling Haaland, Phil Foden and Rayan Cherki were all summoned from the bench but could not inspire a comeback after Leverkusen notched either side of half time.

'I take responsibility but I saw them and I like everyone to be involved,' Guardiola said. 'When you are a football player and don't play for five, six, seven games it's tough but maybe it was too much.

'When you are in a big team you have to show off. Maybe with the players who played regularly lately, maybe would have had confidence.'

The 2-0 reverse was the first time City have lost a home Champions League group match since 2018.

Guardiola suggested that the schedule played a role in his thinking but, more alarmingly for City, claimed that some of his stars are lacking in self-belief.

Oscar Bobb, Rico Lewis and Rayan Ait-Nouri were all taken off at the break. Omar Marmoush was later brought off.

'It's impossible to think that they are not good but it's true that when you come and have the guts to say I need everyone as part of the group,' Guardiola added.

'If you play quite often, you feel more comfortable. Somebody (else) thinks they don't want to do something wrong for the team but in that moment you have to be free and make that mistake.

'Break the lines, make a movement, go close and do what you have to do. We have a lot of games together. We cannot play Erling every time for 95 minutes, we need fresh legs.

'But it was too much. It was the first time in my life I've done it and it was too much.'