The time for talking in the Manchester City dressing room is over, says Rico Lewis, as their dire run continued at Aston Villa.

Erling Haaland offered a similar no-nonsense verdict as he spoke up at Villa Park to say he bears personal responsibility for the bad run because he hasn't scored enough goals in the last 12 games (he has four). Pep Guardiola struck a sombre figure during the game and while he was more positive afterwards in his press conference, the situation remains a full-blown crisis with no apparent sign of things improving.

We've heard from each of City's five fit captains in the leadership group during this run and the message has largely been the same just with the odd variation. Things need to improve, it's not good enough, players need to look at themselves, this squad is too talented be playing as bad as they are and the issues are self-inflicted. Etc, etc.

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At Aston Villa we heard from two new voices with Lewis joining Haaland in media duties post-match. As grumbles grow online over which particular captains are stepping up to talk (and who isn't), it was actually refreshing to hear from two of the younger members of the squad who have carried the team through their struggles.

Lewis and Haaland are similar enough in age and have had to grow up quickly during the current run, both in the top three of appearance-makers this season. That gives Lewis authority to speak about what needs to change - and he insisted that internal crisis talks or public dressing downs from senior players mean nothing if the performances don't improve.

"There's leaders in the dressing room that are natural leaders. They can speak, everyone listens and everyone agrees," he revealed. "But when it comes down to it, it's not what is said in the changing room, it's [about] affecting the pitch and what we're doing on the pitch. That's what needs to be solved.

"Nobody is going on to the pitch saying 'I'm not doing that', or 'I don't want to win'. It's difficult right now but we have to stick together."

City have conceded 26 goals in their rotten run, replying with a goal of their own just five times and there are no examples of coming from behind to take any points.

"That's one of the main things. When we concede it's like we're not allowed to concede. As if it's not a normal thing that's part of the game," Lewis hit back.

"Everyone in world football concedes a goal but because we hold ourselves to such high standards, when we concede we're so disappointed in ourselves, that's when you'll see more mistakes come.

"At the start of the season we conceded a few goals first but we just bounced back straight away. That can be down to confidence, many things, tired legs. But we need to get back to the way we want to be."

It says a lot that Lewis, one of the youngest members of the squad - and one of the most-used this term - is speaking like a captain. Yet at the same time, he's offering more straight-to-the-point messages than the captains have.

Kyle Walker, the under-fire captain from all quarters, was the first player to turn back from the away end and head back to the dressing room, and the first back on the team coach after the game. He's not playing well, and doesn't look to be enjoying his job at the moment.

With so many different voices trying to find the right words to say in public, perhaps Lewis is right not to add to the noise. The only message that will wash now is sorting things out on the pitch - and quickly.

Compare that to Jack Grealish, a positive character by nature, who bounded through the mixed zone on his way up to the hospitality areas at Villa Park, joking with Villa staff he used to see on a daily basis. You wouldn't have known City had just lost.

Maybe that's how he deals with a result like this, and he shouldn't be criticised for catching up with old colleagues. It was a big day for the Grealish family.

Grealish had a mixed afternoon at Villa on his first start back at his former home, booed relentlessly before offering a wink after getting Matty Cash booked and a three-finger gesture after the game to represent the three Premier League titles he's won since leaving Villa Park.

Fans will give City and their players plenty of credit for what they have achieved in recent seasons, and they sang about the titles Grealish refers to in the away end. But they also want to see improvement.

Lewis might have shown the simple way to do it. No more motivational speeches, just put things right.