'They want you to fail more than ever' - Pep Guardiola addresses Man City 'crisis' ahead of vital trip to Everton in the Premier League

The Cityzens find themselves in a rare crisis after winning just one of their last six league games. Their drop in form has seen them slip to the fifth position in the league table, eight points adrift of leaders Liverpool, but with two matches in hand. The FIFA Club World Cup provided a necessary break from domestic commitments and before returning to Premier League action, Guardiola has warned that it would be a mistake to write off City in the title race.

Boosted after winning the Club World Cup, City's fifth trophy of 2023, Guardiola told reporters: "This is the business. When you don't win you are nothing, zero. As much as you win they want you to fail more than ever. But what we have won, the titles, is unbelievable.

"In the moment you don't win there are going to be doubts but that is what is nice. That is okay. Doubt again. We'll see what happens. We played quite similar to the best levels we have played these past eight years. But we don't win so it's a crisis, a disaster."

Guardiola has now won every possible trophy at City in his seven-and-a-half years stint at the club. Despite the incredible success, he insisted that there is no dearth of motivation in the team and his troops are determined to conquer England again.

"We try it again," Guardiola said. "The players teach us and teach me and we try to drive them. The greatest athletes forget as quickly as possible the success. Around the corner is another competition and you have to try it again. The satisfaction of what we have done will remain but we have to do it again."

Guardiola's contract with Manchester City is due to run until 2025 and the manager is more hungry than ever to add more silverware to the cub's trophy cabinet. They had a perfect run in their Champions League group stages and after earning the Club World Cup title, the Spaniard now shifts his focus to reviving his team's domestic form against a resurgent Everton side at Goodison Park on Wednesday evening.