Fightback has well and truly begun after Pep shakes it up

CITY have played matches on the last two Wednesdays that could not have felt more different.

- SIMON BAJKOWSKI

Last week, a 1-0 defeat at Aston Villa was remarkable both for extending the winless run of the Premier League champions to four games, but also for the manner in which they were comprehensively and brutally second-best throughout.

Guardiola did not have any answers on that night, instead saying that he would have to go away and reflect on how to 'change the dynamic'

 With a number of City's best players injured and more struggling for form, those in attendance for the game and press conference will rarely have seen this side and its manager looking so vulnerable. The fightback started with the media on Friday and carried on to Kenilworth Road two days later despite the absence due to injury of Erling Haaland, where Guardiola challenged the players at half-time to do what big clubs do and overcome the setback of being a goal behind despite dominating rather than feeling sorry for themselves about it.