Pep Guardiola insists that he is to blame for Manchester City's struggles after failing to lift his players.

The Blues have won just two of their last 14 games and talk of a fifth Premier League title in a row has turned into doubts over a top-four finish as they head into the New Year. A victory over West Ham on Saturday would be welcome, but the manager believes that the team's issues are too deep-rooted to be solved by one match.

City's manager has defended his players throughout their dip, pointing out that they were the same group who lifted the title and reached the FA Cup Final at the end of last season. Having picked them up in that campaign when they started to slide, Guardiola holds himself responsible for not being able to do the same again.

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"It’s not now that I realised. The call is on me first. I’m unbelievably honest with myself for the reason why we arrive here and it is me. It’s not the players," he said.

"They naturally drop a little bit and that is normal. It happened a little bit last season as well. But with this consistency (of results) I should have found it and that is why we’re in this position. I blame (myself). It’s not to say, 'oh how nice is Pep' - it’s the truth.

"I lead that group of players and I could not lift them. This is the reality. Why in the past they followed me, they were able to get results? We were the only unbeaten team in Europe and top of the league. Immediately we went down.

"For injuries, many things we’ve talked about. But even with that, I should have found a way to get better results. Hopefully we can continue now."

Guardiola has opened up on his difficulties during City's struggle, asking after derby defeat to a dismal United side whether he was good enough. His bosses still believe he is and his players back him to turn things around, yet as the coach reflects on the last two months he is happy to admit there is much he would have done differently.

"Many things," he said. "The manager isn’t just four at the back, five at the back, two strikers, it’s many things. There is something I miss, something I’m not doing well.

"At the end, when you lose a lot of games, there is an incredible responsibility for the manager to (feel) something the team needs for its confidence. And I was not able to do it.

"We got the result [at Leicester] but no more than that. Listen, all of us – me as the first, and all of us – we know our level. How is the team compared to the last eight years?

"We are not there. I’m not denying. One result is not going to change my perspective on how is the team right now. But at the same time hopefully results can help with our belief and composure."