Manchester City is now winless in four Premier League matches and fallen to fourth in the table after losing to Aston Villa.
“The better team won,” said Pep Guardiola. “I said to the players: ‘In football, this happens. I know you wanted to win, I know you tried, because you have proved to me and everyone many, many times.’
“Now the results are not so good when they always were [previously]. I have to think about it. I have to sleep, to reflect, I have to see the games, how the players [did] with this one and try to do it.
“It was really difficult because they are really physical and able to control many aspects. That is the reason why they are up there, playing good football and we could not do it.
“It’s my duty, my job to find a way to come back from the situation because over many years together we were able to find a way to play games – sometimes playing good, sometimes not but always we found a way to do it – and now we are struggling. We have to change the dynamic.”