'That's the truth' - Every word of Pep Guardiola title response as Man City boss credits Liverpool

Pep Guardiola says Manchester City are not yet in a position to think about chasing down Premier League leaders Liverpool as he opened up on the most difficult spell of his near 10-year stint at the Etihad ahead of this weekend's trip to Anfield. The champions arrive on Merseyside on the back of a six-game winless run that included five successive defeats prior to Tuesday's draw with Feyenoord in the Champions League, which saw them squander a three-goal lead inside the final 15 minutes.

League defeats to Bournemouth, Brighton & Hove Albion and Tottenham Hotspur during that sequence leaves Arne Slot's team able to go 11 points clear of City at the top of the table with victory on Sunday afternoon and Guardiola has spoken candidly and at length about the troubles he is facing and what he must do to turn around the Citizens' season.

"(He's) really good," the City boss said of Slot. "They have a more positional game, but the transitions are still there from every corner or free-kick for you, it is a transition for them. The weapons they have up front was always there with (Sadio) Mane, (Roberto) Firmino, (Mohamed) Salah - now with (Diogo) Jota, (Luis) Diaz, (Darwin) Nunez, Salah.

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"We have always had respect, like in the past fighting the biggest battles ever against Liverpool, always a big consideration for this football club. Nothing changes, they have lost one game in all competitions. That means they are so stable and that is really good because we will learn from that.

"Always (against Liverpool) it has been the toughest. But now in the last years have been Arsenal, but over the years Liverpool has been the toughest one, definitely. Are Liverpool the best team in the world now? I don't know.

"They are one of the best for the results, Arne is doing an incredible job. But I don't know (if they are the world's best right now). Years ago, when people say City are the best, I don't pay attention for one second."

Guardiola added: "You have to accept the situation we have right now. I have learned through my life to move forward in the good and bad moments. Prepare well for the game in Anfield and continue.

"We're in the end of November and Anfield will be first day of December, many months to play. We have to learn and learn. You can fall down again, to succeed is how many times you stand up when again, again and again, you fall. It's the only way I know, so I know what I have to do.

"In the situation we have, it's not realistic to think of big targets. We think one game to give the momentum to continue. That will come back. Even in the situations in the past, it's not realistic to think about the title in November. Liverpool have lost just one game, they are in really good form, so powerful in all departments and the boxes. It will be difficult.

"In the situation we are, losing games in a row, especially three in the Premier League. Always I think about the target in March, April. Where are we now? In November, December, it doesn't matter what happens on Sunday. It will be more difficult if we don't take a result but there are many games to play.

"The challenge is how strong we are as a team in the difficulties. The first knock, we are not stable as we have been. In the past, we can be 3-0 up, we didn't score four or five but the game was dead, the game was there in our hands (against Feyenoord).

"Now in the first moments, I don't know how we will react. Obvious reasons, the absences of important players. The best test to prove is Anfield and that is how we have to be as a team. When is it a crisis for me? Up to you, when you (the media) write it.

"We are second in the table, not in good moment in terms of results. We play more than this but not enough to win games. I said many times, maybe we have to live it as a club and players, this kind of situation, to give what we have done in the past.

"We will be back, I know it. I don't know when, that's the truth. But you can judge the situation, when a team has control in the Premier League for many years, it's normal this situation has happened. Maybe the exception was the past and not now - how we stand up again, this is the big success in life. It's how many times you stand up again and again.

"This is the mistake with analysis. One result doesn't change anything, the mood will be better but in three days later against Nottingham Forest, we aren't (yet) stable. You are stable when you 10 or 12 games in a row. Just for one game won't change how we feel as a team.

"I want the players back, that is what I'd like. The beginning of the season to show who we are but we couldn't do that. Now, I would say it is the situation we have had so when the people ask if you want to win games - yeah. But we don't have the players.

"I said many times, in a long career, when you're nine, 10 years, you live all the situations. Unfortunately a few times we were on the other side (losing) but I take it like normal. I'm thinking what I can do to the players to help, in a long career you live the situations.

"We lost five games and draw one, should have won, yes. It happens, don't think much about the situation. Go to the principles, if you live it, accept it. Accept and challenge it, no blaming, or complaining. No running from responsibilities. It is all on my shoulders and I have to. I want it. Here as a club you have to win, if you don't win you are in trouble.

"I know people say, 'why is Pep not in trouble? Why is he not sacked?' But what we have done the last eight years, I have this margin (for error) and people who rely on me to do it. It isn't normal in the big clubs to do what we've done. We have to accept it.

"I want to stay, the moment I feel not positive I will go. But I want the opportunity to try and rebuild the team in many aspects from now on until the end of the season and then next.

"I ask for this challenge, I ask for this opportunity to do it. Because I feel it. I know what I want to do, what we have to do, knowing in the moment our consistency we had, we don't have it right now.

"Which team are consistent in 10 years, tell me one? It doesn't exist. Not even in the NBA, tennis, golf. In almost a decade, the consistency, we don't find it. It's not nice to live, of course it is not nice, but what do you expect? Everything is red carpet and nice and easy? It proves how we are sportsmen, competitors, it is easy when you win 10 or 12 in a row, everyone is fit and in their prime and 26, 27 or 28 and everything is running well. That is easy.

"It is not an excuse Rodri is not there, what do I have to do? Cry all the time he's not there? Or the four central defenders have not been there for the last month? I have to find a solution. Have to find a way to do it. I am trying every day."