City 'skippers' must pitch in to stop slide

THERE was a moment at Brighton when Joao Pedro had outpaced Kyle Walker and got a shot away in a dangerous position.

- JOE BRAY

Luckily for City he dragged it wide - but Pep Guardiola knew they wouldn't get away with it again.

Before the restart, a technical issue with the assistant referee's microphone gave Guardiola a chance to issue instructions to his squad, and he beckoned Walker over for a chat.

The captain and manager argued for a good minute or two on the touchline, trying to get the other to see their point of view. Guardiola walked away, and then stormed back when he remembered something else he wanted to say. Shortly after, Pedro equalised.

It was an incident that summed up the evening at Brighton.

The hosts sent plenty of warnings and City didn't heed them despite Guardiola's concerns. The issues behind their four-game losing streak are plenty, most stemming back to the fact that the Blues boss has barely any players.

Half a dozen are injured, two more were on the bench and unable to come on, while the manager namechecked Walker and Kevin de Bruyne as players either far from fit or far from their best. Put Ilkay Gundogan in that category, too - he's struggled since returning this summer and was first to be replaced at the Amex.