Pep Guardiola admits Man City have started to doubt themselves in title race

Man City Manager Pep Guardiola frustrated [Courtesy]

Pep Guardiola admits defending champions Manchester City have started to doubt themselves.

Guardiola's men threw away an early lead at Leicester from Bernado Silva's opener to slump to back-to-back losses.

Marc Albrighton swiftly equalised before Ricardo Pereira's late screamer as Fabian Delph saw red.

It saw Manchester City slip to third after a third League defeat in four games left them seven points behind unbeaten leaders Liverpool.

Boss Guardiola said: “We lost again, we have to accept the reality and come back as soon as possible to win again.

“We have to try to win again for our mood, for our confidence and desire and confidence to play.

“We have to recover mentally and what we are as a team.

“The fact is we lost three games in four and the last two and if you want to be real contenders you have to win again.

“Now we will have doubts and what you have to do is change dynamics to win games and make a good performance.

“But the joy, the pleasure is in the recent past and I will never doubt our guys. I don't forget who we are.

Pep Guardiola admits defending champions Manchester City have started to doubt themselves [Courtesy]

“I have to reflect what the team needs and what I have to do to help the players to come back and try to win again.”

Guardiola's men return to action on Sunday at home to Southampton before hosting leaders Liverpool next Thursday.

Guardiola confirmed he called his squad in on Christmas Eve for extra training after the Crystal Palace defeat.

The Spaniard, whose side have failed to keep a clean sheet in nine games in all competitions, added: “We trained one day more on because we need to practise something more.

“Last season we were fantastic but the reality is there two or three teams better than us now.

“But if we get the same amount of points in the second half of the season we are fighting to win the Premier League.

“We have to think what we have to do to improve.”