Pep Guardiola insists he is not worried about City’s dip in form.

The Blues are winless in five – the most recent a 1-1 draw with Southampton – but the boss, though disappointed, dismissed the suggestion he was angry with the players, adding they all share the same target.

“We are together,” about the situation we have.

“We are going to accept the situation: five games without winning because something happened. We want to go up and up.

“I was a football player - I know this can happen. You can win ten times in a row and then you are not able to win five times. That is part of football. You have to accept that.

“I have to discover the reason why and I am going to find that. I have to help the team to achieve.”

Reflecting on the point against the Saints, in which Kelechi Iheanacho cancelled out Nathan Redmond’s first-half strike, he added: “We had problems to create our build-up.

“It was slow and when we arrived with players in front, we could not make the difference.

“There is a difference between the first and second half. Unfortunately, we could not win.

“In the second half, we tried. There was chances and nothing else. We didn’t create too much but we were there.

“Part of the reason why we didn’t win is because the difference between the first and second half is obvious.

“Mistakes are not the reason why - not because of [Aleks] Kolarov’s own goal at White Hart Lane, or missed penalties. There is something more - about how you react in situations.

“When we see the performances in 90 minutes, it is not bad.

“It was important to change our dynamic [from the last games]. Everything influences when you play well or bad. It affects you mentally - we are working on it.”

Kevin de Bruyne picked up a knock in the clash, which is not thought to be serious. Asked whether he would make changes for the League Cup Manchester derby on Wednesday, Guardiola replied: “We will see tomorrow after the players’ recovery and we will decide whether it is good to make rotations.”