'It was not us' - Pep Guardiola admits Man City reluctantly became a 'transition team' as Arsenal 'controlled game' at Emirates Stadium

City took the lead against Arsenal at Emirates Stadium, with Norway international Erling Haaland registering his 13th goal of the campaign for club and country. They were pegged back late on, as Gabriel Martinelli levelled in stoppage time, and saw just 32.8 per cent of the ball.

Those are not numbers that Guardiola is used to seeing, having forged his coaching reputation on the back of a tiki-taka ball-playing philosophy, with the 54-year-old telling reporters after being made aware of his surprising new low: “I cannot live in this country with another record you know that, so I'm so proud of that.

“I give a lot of credit to Arsenal for what they have done. Okay, one time in 10 years is not bad, right? I have to prove myself again [in] another strategy. Now I'm a transition team, you know that.”

Guardiola added on City having to scrap for a point in north London: “In general, who controlled the game was Arsenal. It was not us. And that's why when this happened, 1-1? I take it. I suffer. I don't like it. I want the ball away, away - I want it to be close to [David] Raya's goal, not Gigi [Donnarumma's].

“We have to accept [the result] but things will improve. I have said many times about the [focus being on] the body language, how we celebrate, how we are communicating, how we are making an effort for each other. We lost it a lot last season. And I said this season I don't give a 'bleep' about the results. I want to see the spirit back in the training sessions.”

City have picked up seven points from five games this season, leaving them ninth in the Premier League table. They will be in Carabao Cup action against League One side Huddersfield on Wednesday, before then welcoming Lancashire neighbours Burnley to the Etihad Stadium on Saturday.