Pep Guardiola admits he has been surprised by Manchester City's alarming dip in form, saying: "In eight years we never lived like this".

Guardiola is in the midst of the longest losing run of his managerial career, with City suffering a fifth straight defeat in all competitions on Saturday as they were thrashed 4-0 by Tottenham.

They have also lost three Premier League games in a row and could end the weekend eight points adrift of leaders Liverpool, who visit bottom club Southampton on Sunday.

It is their worst run in the competition since they lost three straight between February and March 2016, when they finished fourth under Manuel Pellegrini.

"In eight years we never lived this. I knew sooner or later we would drop," Guardiola said after Saturday's game.

"I never expected to lose three Premier League games in a row but we have been incredibly consistent again and again and again. 

"Now we cannot deny the reality that sometimes happens in football and life is here."

City's drop-off has coincided with star midfielder Rodri – who won the Ballon d'Or last month – being sidelined by an anterior cruciate ligament injury.

Guardiola's side did not lose any of the 34 Premier League matches in which Rodri appeared last season, winning 27 and drawing seven, though they lost three of four when the Spaniard was absent.

Each of City's last six league defeats have come when Rodri has not featured, but former Manchester United defender Gary Neville believes their poor run cannot be totally blamed on his injury.

"We've seen City lose the odd game here, but we've very rarely seen them outplayed in every department, but that's what we're watching," pundit Neville told Sky Sports.

"They look well short. As short as I've seen them since Pep's first season. I've not seen them as bad as this, how they've been in the last few weeks.

"He will have wanted that international break to come, thinking it would be a reset moment. But now here, it further entrenches the opinion this is a City side currently in decline.

"This is more than just Rodri, far more."

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola acknowledged that he is in new territory following their 4-0 home defeat to Tottenham on Saturday, which was their fifth on the bounce.

But despite that, he was not going to hit the panic button, with his side second in the Premier League table and five points behind leaders Liverpool.

"We are fragile at the moment, we could not defend properly. We started well, struggled to score and then conceded. Then the situation is more difficult," he told Sky Sports after the match.

"I've been here as a player, maybe not as a manager, first three games at Barcelona we lost. [In the] last eight years, the results have been there, it would be a mistake to change the approach.

"There are no fairytales in life and sport, sometimes you have to live through these situations. You have to accept it. You can't blame each other, stay together, continue to do what we have done.

"Run away? Absolutely not, we have to stand up more than ever. What will define us is when we fail, we stand up and face it."

Guardiola is by some distance City's most successful manager of all time, having won 18 major trophies at the club, including each of the last four Premier League titles.

His side visit league leaders Liverpool next week and could trail them by eight points by the time kick-off comes, with Arne Slot's side playing a day after City this weekend.

"I don't know what will happen this season, but not for one second will I not believe in these players," said Guardiola.

"There is no team in the world that can sustain success for eight, nine, 10 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."

On the individual performances of his players, Guardiola lamented the fitness issues that his side has faced in recent weeks.

"Chances were there. The moment they create the chances, the build-up, we couldn't handle the duels like normal. Now we're struggling a little bit," he told BBC Sport.

"It cannot happen. When you play top level teams, we can concede chances but it's part of process. In our situation, it's a bit tougher.

"The players came back late [from international duty]. There were a few reasons we're not able to be consistent.

"Of course, Rodri is important, but we knew that for many months. But [John] Stones can only play 45 minutes, Jack [Grealish] has been injured many times, Kevin [de Bruyne] two months and five months.

"We have to come back and freshen our minds. The season is so long, many things can happen."

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola acknowledged that he is in new territory following their 4-0 home defeat to Tottenham on Saturday, which was their fifth on the bounce.

But despite that, he was not going to hit the panic button, with his side second in the Premier League table and five points behind leaders Liverpool.

"We are fragile at the moment, we could not defend properly. We started well, struggled to score and then conceded. Then the situation is more difficult," he told Sky Sports after the match.

"I’ve been here as a player, maybe not as a manager, first three games at Barcelona we lost. [In the] last eight years, the results have been there, it would be a mistake to change the approach.

"There are no fairytales in life and sport, sometimes you have to live through these situations. You have to accept it. You can't blame each other, stay together, continue to do what we have done.

"Run away? Absolutely not, we have to stand up more than ever. What will define us is when we fail, we stand up and face it."

Guardiola is by some distance Manchester City's most successful manager of all time, having won 18 major trophies at the club including each of the last four Premier League titles.

His side visit league leaders Liverpool next week and could trail them by eight points by the time kick-off comes, with Arne Slot's side playing a day after City this weekend.

"I don’t know what will happen this season, but not for one second will I not believe in these players," said Guardiola.

"There is no team in the world that can sustain success for eight, nine, 10 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."

On the individual performances of his players, Guardiola lamented the fitness issues that his side has faced in recent weeks.

"Chances were there. The moment they create the chances, the build-up, we couldn't handle the duels like normal. Now we're struggling a little bit," he told BBC Sport.

"It cannot happen. When you play top level teams, we can concede chances but it's part of process. In our situation it's a bit tougher.

"The players came back late [from international duty]. There were a few reasons we're not able to be consistent.

"Of course Rodri is important, but we knew that for many months. But [John] Stones can only play 45 minutes, Jack [Grealish] has been injured many times, Kevin [de Bruyne] two months and five months.

"We have to come back and freshen our minds. The season is so long, many things can happen."

Manchester City's losing streak stretched to five games across all competitions as Tottenham stunned the Premier League champions with a 4-0 victory at the Etihad Stadium.

On his 28th birthday, James Maddison scored twice in the first 20 minutes as Ange Postecoglou's visitors caught out their hosts on the counterattack.

Maddison was found unmarked at the far post by Dejan Kulusevski for his opener, then exchanged passes with Son Heung-min and dinked a fine finish over Ederson for his second.

City continued to dominate possession but struggled to find a killer pass, and their hopes of a second-half fightback were dashed when Pedro Porro – who spent three years as a City player between 2019 and 2022 – capped another lightning break early in the second half.

Erling Haaland clipped the crossbar but that was as close as City came to making it competitive, with Brennan Johnson completing the rout following fine work from Timo Werner, as the worst run of Pep Guardiola's managerial career continued.

Second-placed City could now find themselves eight points adrift of the summit after Liverpool’s trip to Southampton on Sunday.

Tottenham, meanwhile, climbed to sixth in the table, four points behind City.

Data Debrief: Uncharted territory for Pep

City have now lost five straight matches in all competitions, including two versus Tottenham after they were also beaten in the EFL Cup last month.

They are the first reigning top-flight English champions to lose five games in a row since Chelsea did so in March 1956.

This is the worst losing streak of Guardiola's glittering managerial career, with City last losing six in a row under Stuart Pearce in 2006.

Should their dismal run continue at Liverpool in eight days' time, their title defence may be in tatters before the festive season has even begun. 

Ange Postecoglou relishes the opportunity to challenge Pep Guardiola’s Premier League dominance after he signed a contract extension with Manchester City.

It was announced by City on Thursday that Guardiola will stay at the club until 2027 after agreeing a new two-year deal, taking his time at the Etihad to over a decade. 

Under Guardiola (since 2016-17), City have lost more Premier League games (six) and conceded more goals (22) against Spurs than they have against any other opponent in the top-flight. 

It is perhaps unsurprising then that, despite the City boss having lifted the Premier League trophy in six of the last seven seasons, Postecoglou was happy his competitor was remaining at the helm.

"I look at it the other way, imagine you knock him off? That would be something, eh?,"Postecoglou began.

"And I'm at the stage of my life where I'd rather have a chance of knocking him off than missing that opportunity. In the right way, obviously. 

"I think when greatness is around, you want to be around it. Hopefully it challenges you to be like that as well.”

Postecoglou is preparing to travel to face City in the league on Saturday during Guardiola’s worst run of form of his career.

City have lost each of their last four matches in all competitions. The Citizens last lost more consecutively between March and April 2006 under Stuart Pearce (six – the fifth game of which was also against Tottenham).

It could present the perfect opportunity for the Australian boss to start his ascent on Guardiola’s dominance, though he will have to face demons of his own as his side have won just two of their last 11 Premier League away games (D2 L7).

"I love the fact that there is a massive target out there that can seem insurmountable. It does for me anyway, raises my level, gets me going,” he added.

"I love the challenge of that and I never see that as a bad thing."

Erling Haaland has "full trust" in the "best manager in the world", Pep Guardiola, to get Manchester City back on track against Tottenham in the Premier League on Saturday. 

Guardiola's side have lost four matches in a row across all competitions, which is the Spaniard's longest losing run in his entire managerial career. 

The Citizens last lost more consecutively between March and April 2006 under Stuart Pearce (six – the fifth game of which was also against Tottenham).

But after putting pen to paper on a new two-year contract extension at the club earlier this week, Guardiola has his eyes firmly set on returning to winning ways on home soil. 

And Haaland, who has scored 105 goals in 114 appearances under Guardiola at City, believes they can make up the gap to leaders Liverpool, who are five points ahead. 

"When you look at what he's been doing for the club, he's not bad, is he? So he's got my full trust," Haaland told Sky Sports. 

"And if he tells me something, I'd better do it because he knows the best in the end. Everyone knows that. So I'm sure he will find solutions now as well. I'm sure of that.

"[Guardiola] demands us to be at our best in every training session, in every game. And that's what we need to do. It hasn't been good enough, losing four games now, but let's try to win the next."

Pep Guardiola insisted he would stay with Manchester City even if the club is relegated as punishment for their alleged breaches of the Premier League's financial rules.

Guardiola, who joined City in 2016, signed a new two-year contract extension on Friday, ending speculation over his current deal that was due to expire at the end of the season.

The deal itself will take Guardiola's tenure at the club to over a decade, making him City's longest-serving manager since Les McDowall in 1963.

During his time in charge, the Spaniard has won 18 trophies, including six Premier League titles and their maiden Champions League crown last year. 

He also boasts a 72.04% win percentage across all competitions, which is unsurprisingly the highest of any full-time City manager in history.

However, a hearing into Man City's 115 charges for allegedly breaking the Premier League's rules is also under way, but Guardiola said he will stay regardless of the outcome. 

"I said that six months ago. If we get relegated, I will be here and next year we're going to come up to the Premier League. I knew it then, I feel it now," Guardiola said. 

He also revealed that he agreed to fresh terms at the Etihad in less than two hours. 

"I felt I should stay here. Of course, because they want me. For obvious reasons, for the results and because we've known each other for a long time," he added. 

"All my decisions have been like that, what I feel in the moment. I don't pre-convince, I wait. I decided to stay here and in just two hours we did it [agreed the contract]."

City welcome Tottenham to the Etihad this weekend on the back of four consecutive defeats - Guardiola's longest losing run in his entire managerial career. 

The Citizens last lost more consecutively between March and April 2006 under Stuart Pearce (six – the fifth game of which was also against Tottenham).

They have also won just three of their last 10 top-flight games against Tottenham (D2 L5) and are looking to win consecutive meetings with them for the first time since April 2019.

Despite their run of form, Guardiola was quick to point out his side's recent success, most notably becoming the first team to win four consecutive Premier League titles. 

"When you are here for nine years, with a long time at one club, you live all the scenarios, all the situations," Guardiola said.

"You're able to lose four games in a row, but at the same time, you're able to win four Premier Leagues in a row.

"The difference is that most of the teams are able to lose four games in a row in different competitions, but just one team won four Premier Leagues in a row. So it happened.

"Did it happen in one season? No. When you've been somewhere eight or nine years, yeah, both sides of the run can happen."

Arne Slot believes it is "good news" for the Premier League that Pep Guardiola has signed a contract extension with Manchester City.

The Spaniard signed a two-year extension with the reigning champions and will remain in the dugout at the Etihad until 2027.

He has won 18 major trophies in his time at City, including six Premier League titles, and twice beat Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool to the top-flight crown by a single point.

Guardiola averages 2.35 points per game in the Premier League, the highest rate of any manager (20+ matches). Indeed, he is so far ahead of the next highest (Alex Ferguson's 2.16), he could lose his next 26 league games in a row and would still be top.

Slot is yet to face City since taking over from Klopp at the start of the season, with the rivals' first meeting of the season set for December 1.

"It's good news for City and for the league because everyone wants the best managers and the best players over here," Slot said when asked about Guardiola's new contract.

"He is definitely one of the best managers, maybe the best manager of the league.

"He's won four titles in a row, so it's fair to say he's maybe the best manager in the league.

"On the other hand, they have so many quality players that, if he would have made the choice to leave, I wouldn't have expected them to end up bottom of the league next season."

Other Premier League managers echoed Slot's sentiment, with Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler, who inflicted a fourth consecutive defeat on City before the international break, saying it is the "best thing that can happen to the Premier League".

"He is one of the best coaches in the world," Hurzeler said. "With his ideas, he always brings something new to the football stage, and it is always a challenge to compete against him.

"He always adapts quickly, always has new ideas and he can always win the game. I'm very happy because we can learn from him and to compete with him is a big, big experience."

Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe added: "He's contributed so much to English football. He's revolutionised how a lot of teams play.

"I think he's incredibly talented, and it's good for the English game that he's still here.

"He will continue to develop and evolve his style, and people will potentially continue to follow that. From the competition side, I think it keeps the Premier League as the best in the world."

Pep Guardiola suggested Manchester City's run of four successive defeats was part of the reason for his contract extension.

The 53-year-old recently signed a two-year deal, which will run out in 2027, ending months of speculation about his future after his contract had been due to run out at the end of the campaign.

Following a 2-1 defeat to Brighton before the international break, Guardiola's side have lost each of their last four matches in all competitions for the first time in his managerial career.

"I felt I could not leave now. Maybe the four defeats was why," he told the club's website.

"I think we deserve, after four defeats in a row, to bounce back and try to turn the situation. I think we deserve to be here. I am not arrogant to say, but it's the truth."

Guardiola has led Manchester City to 18 major trophies during his nine-year stint at the club and posted a 72% win ratio.

He added that he was determined to help the club get back to a state where they are "more stable and more consistent".

"We have to recover that because right now we don't have it and that's the target we have to do," he said.

City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak added: "Like every City fan, I am delighted that Pep's journey with Manchester City will continue, allowing his dedication, passion and innovative thinking to continue to shape the landscape of the game.

"His hunger for improvement and success remains insatiable and the direct beneficiaries of that will continue to be our players and coaching staff, the culture of our club, and the English game at large."

Pep Guardiola will be Manchester City manager for at least two more seasons after 2024-25, after he signed a two-year contract extension on Thursday.

The 53-year-old was coming to the end of his City deal, which was due to expire at the end of the current campaign, but he has opted to remain at the Etihad Stadium.

The deal itself will take Guardiola's tenure at the club to over a decade, making him City's longest-serving manager since Les McDowall in 1963.

There had been suggestions that he may leave at the end of the season following the announcement that director of football Txiki Begiristain was on his way out.

Guardiola was strongly linked with the England job after Gareth Southgate resigned in the wake of their Euro 2024 final defeat, but the Football Association appointed Thomas Tuchel last month.

“Manchester City means so much to me," Guardiola said. “This is my ninth season here; we have experienced so many amazing times together. I have a really special feeling for this football club.  

“That is why I am so happy to be staying for another two more seasons.

“Thank you to everyone for continuing to trust and support me – The Owner, The Chairman Khaldoon, Ferran, Txiki, the players and, of course, the fans… everyone connected to Manchester City. It has always been an honour, a pleasure and a privilege to be here.  

“I have said this many times before, but I have everything a manager could ever wish for, and I appreciate that so much.  

“Hopefully, now we can add more trophies to the ones we have already won. That will be my focus.”

Having been appointed in 2016, Guardiola is by some distance Manchester City's most successful manager of all time, having won 18 major trophies during his time at the club.

That list includes their first-ever Champions League triumph in 2023 and six Premier League titles, including an unprecedented four on the spin.

He also boasts a 72.04% win percentage across all competitions, which is unsurprisingly the highest of any full-time City manager in history.

Danny Mills believes Manchester City will benefit from resolving Pep Guardiola's uncertain future at the club sooner rather than later.

Guardiola is in the final year of his contract with City and had dropped hints towards the end of last season that this could be his last on the blue side of Manchester.

However, recent reports suggest he could be signing a one-year extension to keep him at the Etihad for a 10th year.

The Spaniard joined the club in 2016 and has won 18 trophies with the club, including six Premier Leagues, winning the last four in a row, a Champions League, two FA Cups, four EFL Cups, a UEFA Super Cup, and a Club World Cup.

Mills, who played for City between 2006 and 2009, says it will be better for everyone at the club when a decision over his future has been made.

"It's very, very difficult to know what Pep is going to do. He's very much a man inside his own head," Mills told Stats Perform.

"I don't think he gives too much away about his thought process. We know he's incredibly intense. His dedication is unrivalled at times.

"He's constantly thinking about football, thinking about Manchester City. That's what he does, and he's incredibly good at it. Only he will know what the next stage of the process is."

"We saw before at Barcelona that he needed a break after three or four seasons because he was burned out. He needed a break after three seasons at Bayern. He's been at Manchester City longer than at any other club.

"He's been very, very successful in that time, remodelled the team several times, changed the style of play, dealt with players coming in and leaving, and handled all types of pressure. He's won everything there is to win in that time.

"I think he's earned the right to decide what he wants to do. If he stays, recruitment might look a little different compared to if he decides to leave. A new manager might want a slightly different style of player.

"Look at what Liverpool did with Arne Slot. The players Klopp wanted will be similar, but a new manager always wants to put their own slant on things.

"The conversations now about recruitment for January or next summer will be slightly different if Pep is involved compared to if a new manager is coming in. Some players might look at Pep and think, 'I want to play under him because we know each other, and he knows how I play'.

"A new manager with a different style might not give those players the same security. So, they'll start wondering, 'If Pep goes, where does my future lie at the club?' It just creates a bit of uncertainty. The sooner that's resolved, the better for Manchester City."

Guardiola has won 353 of his 490 games in charge of City in all competitions (D70 L63), boasting a 72.04% win rate. In that time, they have scored 1,200 goals.

The 53-year-old has seen a number of records broken while at the helm, including the record points total in a Premier League season when they won the title with 100 points in 2017-18.

Having overseen so much success in his first eight seasons, Mills admitted it would be hard to find someone to fill the gap he will leave behind.

"I think it's really difficult to find someone to replace Pep. It's a bit like replacing Alex Ferguson. It's very, very difficult," he added. "Or replacing Arsene Wenger.

"Okay, Wenger maybe stayed a little too long, but when he was in his prime period, there wasn't anyone who could replace him.

"Pep reinvented football in the Premier League, changed the way Manchester City play, and influenced how a lot of teams play."

"Who do you bring in to take that to the next level? There will be young coaches who get an opportunity. Obviously, Arteta is a big rival at the moment, but he knows the football club, so his name will be in the conversation.

"Someone like Ruben Amorim might have been mentioned, but he's now crossed to the red side of Manchester, so that rules him out.

"Manchester City used to have the people in place to ensure the succession plan was lined up. Some of those people are now moving on, which creates some uncertainty. City's planning has always been exceptional from top to bottom, from the sporting director to academy coaches, but that's been disrupted recently.

"You also throw in the 115 charges against the club. Who knows what's going to happen with that? I think a lot of the charges are spurious. Look at Forest and Everton – they got penalised for two charges, and City have 115. Some will be trivial, like not dating a piece of paper properly or signing in the wrong place.

"Still, we have to wait for the outcome of that. It doesn't affect the players now, but it could impact the team and the club going forward."

Even if Guardiola stays, there will come a time when he no longer sits in the City dugout, but Mills believes he will have a lasting legacy due to his influence over the English top-flight.

"I think Pep's legacy is incredible. What's he won at the moment? Four Premier Leagues in a row, six out of seven, which is phenomenal. Pep has only ever finished outside the top two once," Mills said.

"I think that was his first season at Manchester City. He's only finished outside the top two once in his entire career. That's unbelievable. It's a ridiculous record. He's always finished first or second, and that's part of his legacy.

"The way he changed the style of play is another key part. A lot of people doubted whether it was possible to play that way in the Premier League, playing out from the back.

"Look at what the goalkeeper position has become. Look at teams taking goal kicks and playing one-twos in their own six-yard box. That's all down to Pep. That's another part of his legacy.

"So, I think there are two parts to it. His winning legacy is phenomenal, and his success rate is unrivalled at the moment. He has to be up there with the best of all time. But also, the style of play and the way he moulded what many thought was impossible and now everybody has copied it.

"One of the biggest forms of admiration is imitation, and everybody has tried to copy Manchester City. They haven't quite managed it, certainly, not in terms of quality, but in an ideal world, everyone would want to play winning football in that style."

Manchester City all-time top scorer Sergio Aguero thinks that the players need to be more like manager Pep Guardiola if they are to continue their golden era.

Aguero's rallying cry came after City's fourth consecutive defeat in all competitions on Saturday, the first time Guardiola has gone this long without a victory in his career.

The Citizens have lost four straight games for the first time since August 2006, when Stuart Pearce was manager of the club and are 11 points behind Liverpool in the Premier League. 

But despite their recent run, the Argentine, who 260 times in 390 appearances for City, is confident that his former side can finish the season with more silverware.

"I think City are favourites to win everything, including the league, the [FA] Cup, the Club World Cup and the Champions League," he told Sky Sports News.

"Whatever City has to play for, they'll be the firm favourites. I think it all depends on the mentality they have because it's not easy to always be the favourites."

Last season, City became the first team in history to win four consecutive Premier League titles but, with their form taking a dip and Guardiola out of contract at the end of the season, there is the potential for instability at the Etihad.

But, according to Aguero, their manager is the key to their past and future success.

That frame of mind is understandable, given that Guardiola is the most successful Manchester City manager of all time, having won 18 major trophies – 50% of the major honours in the club's history – with a win percentage of 72%.

"I think City are where they are because Guardiola knows very well how to keep that mentality," Aguero said.

"For me, he's the key man for the club so that the players have the same winning mentality.

"Sometimes it gets difficult to win and it's normal, but Pep's team has been up there since he took charge, and that's something many people don't see.

"I think we have to acknowledge he's the reason his players have a winning mentality. He's strict and he makes the team be consistent every single game throughout the season.

"We should take our hats off because it's not easy to be there with the players every day, especially considering the players we're talking about.

"All the time, he's like, 'come on, we have to keep winning!' Living that every day can get exhausting sooner or later, but he's been doing this for days, months, even years, and I think that's why City are one of the favourites because Pep never rests and he never gives a rest to his players.

"That, for me, is the key to success for any team."

Ruben Dias has dared Manchester City's critics to "doubt us" after the Premier League champions' four-game losing streak.

Pep Guardiola lost four straight matches in all competitions for the first time in his managerial career as City capitulated in a 2-1 loss to Brighton on Saturday.

That loss came on the back of a 4-1 defeat to Sporting CP – coached by new Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim – in the Champions League, as well as a reverse to Bournemouth in the Premier League and an EFL Cup exit at the hands of Tottenham.

City are five points behind league leaders Liverpool, but Dias shrugged off the doubters.

"I would say, please doubt us, doubt us, feel welcome to do so," the centre-back told reporters.

"When we did the treble, we even called it the dark January. We had a tough period. But it is what it is.

"What matters is how you bounce back from these moments. That's why our team has won so much because in moments of difficulty, the characters come up and we stay together.

"We don't find people to kill, we find people to bring into the cause and fight together.

"That's what we need to do once again. Until it's done, it's not done."

City's losing run combined with Liverpool's excellent form has seen a swing in the Opta supercomputer's predictions.

The model now has Liverpool as the favourites, with a 60.3% chance of winning the title.

Pep Guardiola conceded Manchester City need to "change things quickly" after they suffered a fourth consecutive loss in all competitions against Brighton.

It is the first time the Spaniard has lost four games in a row in his managerial career, while the last time City suffered four consecutive defeats was back in August 2006, under Stuart Pearce.

Erling Haaland had given the visitors a first-half lead, but two quickfire goals from substitutes Joao Pedro and Matt O'Riley turned the match on its head, with Brighton the better side in the second half.

In fact, City have lost a Premier League game in which they led at half-time for the first time since May 2021, and that defeat also came away to Brighton.

And Guardiola suggested his team, who have been rocked by injuries, are simply finding matters too tough.

"We are not able to do 90 minutes right now," Guardiola told BBC Sport. "We played a really good first half and moments in the second half.

"We lost again, so clean our heads, international break and hopefully our players come back fit.

"We have to try and win games again. We were not able to sustain the rhythm in the second half. Four [defeats] in a row. We have to change things quickly.

"The schedule becomes tough, but it is going to happen when the players come back. Maybe after seven years, winning six Premier Leagues, maybe one year another team deserve it. We'll see."

City have conceded 10 goals during their losing streak, managing just four goals of their own in that time.

The reigning Premier League champions have more tough games coming up, with Tottenham and Liverpool their next opponents in the top flight, and Kyle Walker believes the international break may have come at the right time.

"There are slight moments that aren't rubbing off in our favour. Certain challenges we're arriving a little late for. That's the period we're going through. The break is coming at the right time," he said.

"There are many reasons. It's form, it's how we're feeling on a day to day. It's tough. We've been fortunate to have success here in the last eight years. This is the time you show character and stick your boots on and go through the mud. Now we get to see the real characters and want to push forward and achieve something special.

"We've never gone four games without a wi.  Still, it's tough to take. Everyone wants to turn it around."

Premier League debutant Matt O'Riley proved Brighton's hero as he completed a comeback in a 2-1 win over Manchester City at the Amex Stadium.

The substitute returned from injury with a bang as he condemned Pep Guardiola to a fourth successive defeat in all competitions for the first time in his managerial career.

Erling Haaland had given City a deserved lead in the first half, but they were pegged back by another substitute in Joao Pedro in the 78th minute.

O'Riley then piled the misery on their visitors with a composed finish five minutes later, ensuring Fabian Hurzeler's side – who were on the wrong end of a comeback against Liverpool last time out – came out on top.

It is a win that lifts Brighton to fourth in the table, while second-placed City missed the chance to go top, and sit two points behind Liverpool, who play Aston Villa later on Saturday.

Data Debrief: Uncharted territory

City are so used to writing history given their success in recent years, but they are making headlines for the wrong reasons this time around. 

As stated before, Guardiola has lost four games in a row for the first time as a manager, but it is also the first time City have suffered four consecutive defeats since August 2006.

After a barren (by his standards) spell for Haaland, who had not scored in two appearances, he has lost a Premier League game in which he has scored for the very first time (W40 D6 previously).

Take nothing away from Brighton though. They are now unbeaten across their first six Premier League home games of the season (W3 D3), their best such start to a top-flight campaign since 1982-83 (seven home games without defeat).