Ruben Dias points finger at Manchester City team-mates over dreadful recent run

Manchester City defender Ruben Dias has admitted that the Premier League champions are falling short of the standards required to end the biggest crisis of Pep Guardiola's coaching career.

City have lost seven out of their last 10 games ahead of the Manchester derby on Sunday. They are already eight points adrift of Liverpool in the title race having played a game more. And they face a Champions League play-off to reach the last 16 after crumbling to a 2-0 defeat at Juventus on Wednesday night.

Dias said: “Essentially we were not good enough. Our biggest problem will always be ourselves not being at the best level. Juventus is a very strong side, but the main focus is on ourselves - we have to be better. That’s the mindset for us.

“We all know what we can do but it’s about trying to get back to that level. Yes we had a good first half and we had chances but the kind of team we are we don’t leave a win by chance - we win and period.”

City have looked a shadow of the team that has won six out of the last seven Premier League titles - including a record-breaking four-in-a-row. And Guardiola is struggling to come up with answers.

Anything but a victory over United at the Etihad will hike up the pressure on Guardiola, just weeks after the Catalan signed a two-year contract extension. Dias said: “A moment like this for us at this club doesn’t come very often.

“Obviously difficult periods always come but we have to look forward, be positive and try and be better every day. That’s the only way to get through it. You have to push yourself and the people next to you - keep believing in those next to you.

“We all know the current moment is not the best and we have to be better - individually and collectively. We’re trying our best of course but we have to be better.”

Guardiola insisted his side played well against Juventus. He said: "Of course I question myself, in the good moments, in the bad moments. I was stable in the good moments, I was stable in the bad moments. I try to find the way, find win.

"The game was there. I am incredibly honest in knowing when we not play good or not play good. We played good, really, really good. We concede few, some transition happened, but I am so proud for these players.

"They give everything and they tried and now we live in this period and hopefully we can change results. I know it's difficult, in the Champions League in Europe. You go to Turin, Paris, our three games away were really tough. You have to accept it."