Pep Guardiola says Manchester City will have to focus on Champions League qualification, instead of the title, if they lose to Liverpool next week.

City were thumped 4-0 by Spurs on Saturday in a result that extended their winless run in all competitions to five games. It is Guardiola's worst ever run as a manager, and leaves City second in the Premier League table, five points behind Liverpool. The Reds play Southampton on Sunday and a win there would extend the gap to eight; given that the two sides play each other next weekend, another defeat for City would take the gap to 11 points. Guardiola says he is ready to concede their chances of winning the title if they taste defeat once again on Merseyside.

Arne Slot has guided the Reds to nine wins from their first 11 games and their only defeat has come against Nottingham Forest. Whether the club will be able to maintain the pace remains to be seen but Guardiola believes they will, and took the time to congratulate Spurs on their biggest win of the Postecoglou era.

Guardiola told reporters: “When you lose 4-0 you can only congratulate Tottenham. We are a bit fragile right now, we struggled to score goals in this game and we are playing a bit in our thoughts with negativity. We lost three games in the row in the Premier League but we have to break these results.

“We are not used to doing this situation but life is like this. Sometimes it happens and we have to accept it. It is what it is now and we will stand up and do it.”

Asked if an 11-point gap would be too much for City to bridge, Guardiola replied: “Yes. In terms of Liverpool winning, winning, winning.

“We have to think about the next game rather than the end of the season. We won it in the past because we deserved it, now we have to step-by-step get better and first of [all] qualification for the Champions League.”

City face Feyenoord in the Champions League in midweek, while Liverpool play Real Madrid. Then, the two giants meet at Anfield next weekend, in a game that now has an immense amount riding on it.