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Pep Guardiola challenged \u201cfragile\u201d Manchester City to accept their reality and break a shocking slump that extended to a fifth straight loss as Tottenham ran amok at the Etihad Stadium.<\/p>\n
The reigning champions\u2019 hopes of an unprecedented fifth successive Premier League crown are evaporating as they continue to spiral.<\/p>\n
A run that started with last month\u2019s defeat at Tottenham in the Carabao Cup continued as Ange Postecoglou\u2019s side survived an early storm to inflict a humiliating 4-0 defeat on the shell-shocked hosts on Saturday.<\/p>\n
City\u2019s 52-match unbeaten home streak in all competitions went up in smoke as James Maddison\u2019s first-half brace was followed up by Pedro Porro and Brennan Johnson efforts after the break.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen you lose 0-4 there is nothing to say, it\u2019s congratulate Tottenham,\u201d Guardiola, whose contract extension until 2026 was announced two days before this thumping, said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe struggled a little bit to get the balls back. We are not able to win it or the extra action afterwards but (on the ball) we were quite decent.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe created a lot, and we created a lot of chances in front of the keeper. We are a bit fragile right now, that is obvious. We struggled to score goals and after, when they arrived, they scored.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are playing a little bit in our thoughts, a little bit of negativity but this is normal.<\/p>\n
\u201cFootball is a sense of mood and when you win a lot it gives you self-awareness you can do it and when you lose three games in a row in the Premier League that situation is there. Many things are going to happen.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have to break the results because the victories help us to be more positive and confident and we have to do it.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut after eight years here I knew sooner or later we would drop.<\/p>\n
\u201cI never expected to lose three Premier League games in a row, but we have been incredibly consistent again and again and again and now we cannot deny the reality that sometimes happens in football and life is here.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have to do everything to change, especially for the next one, but the exceptionality we lived in eight years is not eternal. Sometimes you drop a little bit.\u201d<\/p>\n
Guardiola says City \u201ccannot run away\u201d and \u201chave to face\u201d the issues head on as Feyenoord arrive in the Champions League on Tuesday before next Sunday\u2019s trip to table-topping Liverpool.<\/p>\n
This is the worst run of the City boss\u2019 managerial career but he believes improvements will come as players return, although he brushed aside any title talk after this latest loss.<\/p>\n
\u201cI would say when you lose three games in a row it is the most wrong thing to say that you will be champions,\u201d Guardiola said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know the guys, I know they will be back and if I\u2019m going to doubt about them it is something wrong about me.<\/p>\n
\u201cMaybe I will not be good enough to get back in those situations, and we will see, but I\u2019ve been a football player.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat we have done in the past is exceptional but losing three Premier League games in a row can happen. It happened to me with Barcelona in LaLiga.<\/p>\n
\u201cNow everything is a little bit against \u2013 when you feel confident the results are good, but now it is the opposite. We have to break it quick and accept it.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe best way to go through the position is accept the reality. It\u2019s not about me, you, the weather or the grass, we have to start to winning games.<\/p>\n
\u201cNow you realise how difficult what we have done is. You can be worse but when you said to me when you win 10 or 11 or 12 or 13 games in a row you\u2019re going to win before the game, I don\u2019t know.<\/p>\n
\u201cNow we recover and on Tuesday we have to be here again and hopefully we will change the dynamic.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Sign up to Miguel Delaney\u2019s Reading the Game newsletter sent straight to your inbox for freeSign up to Miguel\u2019s Delaney\u2019s free weekly newsletter Sign up to Miguel\u2019s Delaney\u2019s free weekly newsletter I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our\u00a0privacy policy Pep Guardiola challenged \u201cfragile\u201d Manchester City to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3855,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[173],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3854","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n