Guardiola admits Manchester City need winning run to keep EPL title hopes alive

Pep Guardiola admitted Manchester City cannot afford to lose many more games if they are to successfully defend the Premier League title again.

City head for Newcastle on Saturday nine points behind leaders Liverpool and have lost three matches already this term.

Guardiola is of the belief that his team must not slip up again before a trip to St James' Park.

'I know we cannot lose games,' he said. 'I'm not thinking about winning the Premier League right now. The target is the next one when you have games every three days.'

Guardiola held a lengthy debrief after losing against Newcastle last season, telling the players they did not resemble his team.

City then went on to win the next 14 matches and retain the league title, pipping Liverpool at the death.

'We did the same meeting that we've done when I believe we need one,' he added. 'We try to understand why we win or lose. The way we played at Liverpool (on November 10) is not comparable to Newcastle.'

Guardiola also refused to entertain questions about Mikel Arteta's future at the Etihad Stadium after Arsenal sacked Unai Emery.

Arteta was a frontrunner for the job before Emery was appointed last year but Guardiola said: 'Mikel travels to Newcastle. It is not a question for me.

I'm so sorry for Unai. Every time a manager is sacked it's not good news, honestly. It doesn't change my opinion about his capacity.

'He's an incredible professional, did incredibly well in Spain. He won three Europa Leagues in a row with Sevilla, one of the most incredible achievements. He and I know it is about results.'