This archive report was first published on 11 December 2019.
Manchester City's hopes of winning a third successive Premier League title are in ruins, with the team 14 points behind leaders Liverpool.
Ilkay Gundogan, the City midfielder, has conceded that the team has lost focus, but he believes they can bounce back to win the title.
Speaking at a press conference in Croatia ahead of Wednesday's final Champions League Group C game against Dinamo Zagreb, Gundogan said: "I think it's normal we are going through this period but the only way out is to stick together and try to come back to what we've done in the past."
He added: "Every single player has to take responsibility to reach his best level again. The sooner we can do that the sooner we'll be successful again. It's a challenge and we have to accept it."
City's recent form has been a rude awakening for a team that clocked up 198 points during their back-to-back title successes of 2018 and 2019.
"In general, in life, if you are successful and have won so many things, sometimes you lose focus during that period," Gundogan said.
"But the more defeats you have the more you recognise that's not really the way you want to end up and you want to improve again and get to the level you were."
City will need to change both their central defenders from the derby defeat with John Stones ruled out with a hamstring injury and Fernandinho suspended.
Eric Garcia, 18, is poised to start alongside Nicolas Otamendi and 19-year-old Phil Foden will also get an opportunity with David Silva another injury absentee.
