John Stones said every member of the Manchester City squad needs to 'answer difficult questions' about themselves in order for the team to move forward.

The Blues have shown signs of getting out of their slump in January and came back from a disastrous start at Arsenal to equalise in the second half through Erling Haaland, but then fell apart. Stones called the last third of the game unacceptable and Pep Guardiola agreed as the Gunners smashed in four goals in the final 35 minutes.

Another collapse leaves City with more soul-searching to do and they have little time to try to improve before they face Real Madrid next week in the Champions League play-off. Stones says nobody can afford to put off their own personal inquest into how to get their spark back individually and as a team.

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“We can make it complicated or face it head on. Answer difficult questions and look at difficult footage and be self-critical is the best way to approach this," he said.

"We need to be truthful. We’ve been through some difficult periods in the past. We have to put the pressure on ourselves to improve. We will watch the game back thoroughly and be self-critical.

"We’ve got to look ourselves and our individual game and what we can do better to manage these situations. Collectively, we have to move forward.

"I definitely don’t take losing well and I don’t want to be in a situation like that again this season. We’ve got an incredible group of lads - experienced guys and hungry winners.

"We need to stick together and find that spark within us in again which we showed in so many parts of our game in the first half. We’ve got to stick together in these times.”