I worked with Pep Guardiola for five years - I know how he'll turn Man City around

Pep Guardiola will stick to what he knows as he bids to turn Manchester City's losing streak around - but he won't be afraid to drop underperforming players at the same time.

Guardiola is in unchartered territory having lost four games in succession for the first time as a manager and has welcomed the international break as an opportunity to reset minds within his injury-ravaged squad. When City return, they face some difficult fixtures and Guardiola will need to lean upon his years of experience to get his world-class squad to start winning again.

One man who knows a thing or two about winning with Guardiola is Sergio Aguero, who says mentality will be key to kick-starting the campaign later this month.

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"Whatever City has to play for, they’ll be the firm favourites, but I think it all depends on the mentality they have because it’s not easy to always be the favourites," he said. "I think City are where they are because Guardiola knows very well how to keep that mentality. For me, he’s the key man for the club so that the players have the same winning mentality.

"Sometimes it gets difficult to win, of course, and it’s normal, but Pep’s team has been up there since he took charge, and that’s something many people don’t see, and I think we have to acknowledge he’s the reason his players have a winning mentality. He’s strict and he makes the team be consistent every single game throughout the season."

Aguero believes Guardiola will feel defeats more than anyone else. Yet he won't let that emotion tempt him into changing the approach which has gained so much success. And if he needs to make difficult selection calls, he will do so for the good of the team.

"He doesn’t take it as any ordinary job, he wants to win. If he doesn’t, he gets really upset, so he’s always going to do everything he can so that City are always favourites," the former striker said. "The good thing about Pep is that his teams will always show the same playing style. Even if he loses, he’ll try to do the same, keep the essence of the team, and he won’t change.

"He’ll always go for the win by being aggressive in attack and keeping the ball. Other coaches may want their teams to be aggressive and retain the ball in some games, but they’ll sometimes change in some others. Guardiola will never change his identity, no matter who the rival is. That’s a great achievement, of course.

"And I think that Pep has experience of talking to players of such high calibre. So, that will not make a difference for him at all if he has to take [a player] out or put him in. He will try to make you reach your highest potential and if he sees that you are performing at your best, he will put you [in the team], and if he sees you can’t give the team any more, he will try to look for another player to replace you and get what he’s looking for."