Pep Guardiola puts Man City struggles down to four players as he reacts to Spurs rout

Pep Guardiola blamed Manchester City’s problems on the fitness issues of four of his key players after seeing his side hammered by Tottenham at the Etihad. Just two days after confirming he had agreed to extend his contract with the club through until 2027, the Spaniard saw his side beaten 4-0 which was a fifth successive defeat.

It means that if Liverpool beat Southampton tomorrow, City will be eight points off the top of the Premier League ahead of a trip to Anfield next week.

And afterwards, he cited the long-term absence of Rodri, as well as the recent injuries to John Stones, Jack Grealish, and Kevin de Bruyne, as a primary reason for their poor form.

He told Sky Sports: “Of course Rodri is important but we knew that for many months. But Stones can only play 45 minutes. Jack has been injured many times. Kevin, two months and five months.”

England defender Stones did return to the starting XI against Spurs but after the home defence were pulled apart in the first 45 minutes, was replaced at the break by Nathan Ake. De Bruyne and Grealish, meanwhile, both featured as late substitutes.

Guardiola has been vocal about the issue of players being called up for international duty and picking up injuries while representing their countries. And he also implied that the most recent break had denied his squad the chance to regroup.

“The players came back late from internationals,” he added. “There were a few reasons we’re not able to be consistent. Now the balance is not in the right moment. We have to do it, talk, and on Tuesday against Feyenoord have the chance to try.”

He also insisted his squad can turn around their form and vowed to confront City’s current problems head-on. “Run away?” he said. “Absolutely not, we have to stand up more than ever. What will define us is when we fail, we stand up and face it.

“I don’t know what will happen this season, but not for one second will I not believe in these players. There is no team in the world that can sustain success for eight, nine, ten years in a row.

“Of course everything is not fine, but what we try to do is analyse it, let’s go to next game and see what happens.”

However, he also sounded a warning to his stars ahead of their game at Liverpool. By the final whistle next Sunday, City could be as far as 11 points off the top, and their manager fears they could face another humiliating afternoon if they don’t improve on today’s showing.

“It’s a great game to turn it around and take three points from the team who sit above you,” he added. “But we can’t put in a performance like that or we’ll get walked over.”