Pep aims to sort out problems

PEP Guardiola is facing further scrutiny of his methods after Manchester City failed to win for a fifth successive game.

A n avo i d a bl e J o h n Stones error cost City dearly as Southampton claimed a point with a 1-1 draw at the Etihad Stadium.

City t op t he Premier League on goal difference but Guardiola’s desire to play out from the back again proved their undoing.

Last Wednesday in Barcelona it was goalkeeper Claudio Bravo who got into trouble and was sent off in chaotic circumstances. This time Stones played a blind pass into the area and gifted a goal to Saints’ Nathan Redmond after 27 minutes.

Substitute Kelechi Iheanacho equalised but there was no winner.

It i s only the second time Guardiola has gone five games without victory.

The mood in the stadium at the final whistle was one of frustration and some boos were heard before Guardiola then kept his team in the dressingroom for close to an hour before emerging for interviews.

But the Catalan denied he was angry with his players and spoke defiantly of rooting out the problems.

He said: “The red wine was good and I took a little bit l o n g e r. We w e r e together, we spoke, but nothing special. We speak about what is the situation.

“I was a football player and I know this can happen. You are able to win 10 times in a row and after you are not able to win five times. That is part of football. You have to accept that.

“I have to discover the reason why and I am going to find that.”

Pep Guardiola