Pep Guardiola makes 'fragile' admission and admits Man City crisis is unprecedented

Manchester City started the play 5 points down Liverpool astatine the Premier League acme and Arne Slot's broadside could present widen that spread time aft Tottenham's stunning 4-0 2in

Pep Guardiola admits Manchester City's torrid tally of signifier is dissimilar thing other helium has experienced successful the Etihad hotseat aft they were humbled 4-0 by Tottenham.

The champions were tally ragged successful their ain backyard by Spurs, who recovered themselves 2 goals to the bully wrong 20 minutes acknowledgment to a brace of ice-cool finishes from James Maddison. Pedro Porro and Brennan Johnson struck aft the interruption to heap the misery connected City, who had been unbeaten successful 52 location games heading into Saturday evening's fixture.

City's hopes of notching up an unprecedented 5th successive league rubric are successful tatters after different damaging defeat. And Guardiola bemoaned his side's antiaircraft fragility post-match.

Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, helium said: "In this infinitesimal we are fragile defensively. We started truly good arsenic mean but we could not people and past aft that we conceded. After that we conceded immoderate much which is hard for our emotions close now.

"In 8 years we person ne'er lived this benignant of situation. Now we person to unrecorded it and interruption it winning the adjacent games, particularly the adjacent one. Now we spot things successful 1 way, possibly successful a fewer weeks we spot it differently."

City person struggled importantly aft Rodri suffered a superior wounded aboriginal successful the play and Guardiola admits injuries person played a portion successful their caller struggles.

The champions present person a pivotal rubric showdown with Liverpool to contend with adjacent weekend. And there's each accidental the spread betwixt the 2 teams could beryllium arsenic overmuch arsenic EIGHT points if the Reds triumph their lucifer against struggling Southampton connected Sunday.

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Guardiola added: "Of people Rodri is important but we knew that for galore months. But Stones tin lone play 45 minutes. Jack has been injured galore times. Kevin, 2 months and 5 months.

"We person to travel backmost and freshen our minds. The play is truthful long. Many things tin happen.

"Before the crippled I didn't cognize what volition hap today. So I don't cognize what volition hap astatine Anfield. Everyone knows the concern is caller for us. We struggled much without the ball. I don't cognize however galore chances we created. Our crippled was there."

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