Guardiola concedes Man City are struggling at the back after shock Spurs loss

City's losing streak started with a defeat at Spurs in the Carabao Cup and following the resumption of the domestic campaign after another international break, the Londoners smashed them 4-0 at the Etihad.

It was the shock of the season so far and a result that leaves the champions' title defence under scrutiny.

The Citizens are already five points behind pacesetters Liverpool - whose game in hand is at lowly Southampton on Sunday - having lost three Premier League matches in a row.

Guardiola insists that his side are not out of the title race, with the Spaniard not taking into consideration what the table could look like at the end of 2024/25.

"I don't know," he said when asked if the 4-0 defeat ends City's title defence. "But it's not thinking about whether you're going to win or lose [the championship].

"We are not ready to think about what is going to happen at the end of the season.

"At the end [if] we don't win [the title] it's because we don't deserve it - when we won in the past it was because we deserve it.

"What we have to do now is Feyenoord [on Tuesday]. That is the most important thing - first for the qualification for the Champions League - and step by step the players will be better."

Guardiola continued: "In this moment we are fragile defensively.

"We started really well, as normal, but we could not score and then after that we conceded. After that we conceded some more which is difficult for our emotions right now.

"In eight years, we have never lived this kind of situation. Now we have to live it and break it by winning the next games, especially the next one. Now we see things in one way, maybe in a few weeks we see it differently."

On the team's mood, the Spanish manager added: "For the way they played, they are angry but sometimes the opponent is good and sometimes you are not good enough in some departments.

"I would say the mistake is to think too much about analysing what happened and the other mistake would be after eight years changing a lot.

"You have to [rely] on the simple things that we believe in completely, step by step the players will be back and we will get back to trying to win games.

"If at the end it doesn't happen what can we do? More than ever, hopefully. Because I'm hugely optimistic in my life, hopefully they can follow me."

Despite the club's poor run of form going into the Spurs clash, the mood was positive following news of Guardiola's two-year contract extension.

The former Barcelona manager ended speculation over his future, with many expecting him to walk when his old deal ran out next summer.

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