Pep Guardiola admits his Manchester City side couldn’t handle Tottenham duo James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski.
The Premier League champions fell to a fifth consecutive defeat after they were thrashed 4-0 by Spurs, extending an already unprecedented run of poor form for Guardiola.
The City boss had never previously lost four games in a row and the heavy defeat at home sent his side further into crisis.
It is the first time the club have fallen to five consecutive losses since 2006, while they also lost their 52-game unbeaten streak at the Etihad Stadium.
Spurs ran rampant over a City side who faded after a promising opening ten minutes or so, in which Erling Haaland missed some presentable chances.
Maddison, who was celebrating his 28th birthday, bagged a brace while Kulusevski pulled the strings from a wide position having been reverted there by manager Ange Postecoglou following what had been a productive spell in the middle of the park.
After the game, Guardiola admitted the pair had punished his side.
“We are a little bit fragile now,” he said.
“We started really well and we couldn’t score. And the first time they arrive [in our box] they score.
“Of course, the quality of Kulusevski and Maddison was good.”
