Pep Guardiola has taken some of the blame for Manchester City's recent poor form and said he has no doubt about the quality of his players. City have slipped to third in the Premier League, seven points behind leaders Liverpool, after three defeats in their last four games but Guardiola said he never thought his side were unbeatable.
"I think you cannot blame [the players]," he told a news conference. "You are the guys who said we were the perfect team and you said we would make every game without losing and we never thought about [that].
"We spoke last year that every time you have to win is easy, it's you that says that. Never in three years you hear me say it's simple, it's because we are better than the other ones. It's because there is a lot of work from behind [closed doors] and I don't know if it will be enough but I accept the situation is a normal part of the process.
"I know my players perfectly and if you believe I will doubt them for one second you are completely wrong, so for me it is incredible what they do, and what they have done, and what they are doing every single game.
"I know what we have to do. I am always the guy who, first of all, puts in front of the mirror myself. I never point the finger at one person, never. I sit in front of the mirror and ask what I can do to help them because they need it and I'm willing to do that."
The City boss said he is ready for the challenge of chasing down Liverpool and second-placed Tottenham in a bid to defend their crown.
"It is a big challenge for me, I have to show whether I'm good [enough] or not," Guardiola said. "I wouldn't say I like the situation but I know it's common in football and I like to handle it. I will help them to help each other and we will come back to who we are. If it's done, we will move forward.
"I don't have the secret to know what will happen in the future, when we lost against Crystal Palace, Kevin [De Bruyne] and Sergio [Aguero] were not there but the second time they were there and so I try to make a map about the situation and try to discover. But it's a challenge for me and I need it. All the managers have this, I am not an exception, I will live more in the future."
Guardiola is close to having a full squad to take to Southampton with Fernandinho, Gabriel Jesus and Vincent Kompany returning to training and in contention for the trip.
However, Benjamin Mendy is still recovering from a knee injury while Fabian Delph is suspended for the next three matches after his 89th-minute red card against Leicester City.
City travel to Southampton on Sunday and Guardiola said it's important to return to winning ways ahead of Liverpool's visit to the Etihad Stadium four days later.
"Always I believe to win you have to play good and I will continue that way," he added. "I cannot deny the game will speak for itself and we are not in good form and winning will help us a lot of course.
"Our preparation is what we have to do to win. Our fortune and comeback will not come from above, it will come if we do something and that's what we have to try to do."
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