Pep Guardiola admitted Friday his Manchester City team are not as comfortable in possession as they used to be and that they lack the physicality to compete with their Premier League rivals.

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola said his side lacks composure to defend a lead after Real Madrid struck twice late on to snatch a 3-2 win from the first leg of their Champions League play-off.

Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham struck a last-gasp goal to give the Champions League holders a 3-2 victory over Manchester City in an edge-of-your-seat first leg of their knockout phase playoff on Tuesday at the Etihad Stadium.

Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola said his side were well aware of Real Madrid's habit of producing their best in tough times, with a string of injuries having depleted the visitors' defence ahead of Tuesday's Champions League playoff.

Arsenal kept alive their Premier League title challenge with a 5-1 demolition of dismal Manchester City on Sunday as the troubled champions endured another humiliation in their season from hell.

Pep Guardiola fears Manchester City's bid to knock holders Real Madrid out of the Champions League will be hampered by the gruelling demands of the Premier League schedule.

City came back from a goal down to beat Belgian side Brugge on Wednesday in a nerve-jangling must-win league phase finale, to finish 22nd in the table - three places above elimination.

City have reached the Champions League knockout stages every season since Guardiola took the helm in 2016, but they are in danger of missing out with the new format this year where they sit 25th in the standings -- outside even the playoff spots.

Manchester City's new signings Omar Marmoush, Vitor Reis and Abdukodir Khusanov will be in the squad for Saturday's league game against Chelsea, boss Pep Guardiola said ahead of the battle between two teams chasing a Champions League spot.

"They were better. We have to accept it, We have the last chance at home against Bruges. We will do everything there and if we don't it is because we don't deserve it," Guardiola told reporters after the match at the Parc des Princes.

"We are really pleased, we are back to doing things that define this team for the last 10 years. Really pleased for the three points and to climb into qualification for the Champions League for next season," a beaming Guardiola told Sky Sports.

Premier League champions City had won just one of 13 matches in all competitions before their 2-0 victory at Leicester on December 29.

Guardiola's struggling team won for the first time in five league games to climb to a provisional fifth in the Premier League, but are still way off leaders Liverpool, who have 11 points and two games in hand over the reigning champions.

City's slump has seen them win just once in their last 13 matches across all competitions and they provisionally sit sixth in the table with 28 points, 11 below leaders Liverpool who have two games in hand. Everton are 15th, five points above the drop zone.

City, who are looking to qualify for Europe's top club competition for a 15th straight season, have won just one of their last eight Premier League games and are seventh, 12 points behind leaders Liverpool.

City's current streak, which leaves the champions seventh in the standings and 12 points off leaders Liverpool, coincides with Haaland scoring just twice, after the Norwegian netted 10 times in their opening five games.

Aston Villa beat crisis-hit Manchester City 2-1 on Saturday to heap more misery on floundering manager Pep Guardiola, who has now suffered nine defeats in his past 12 matches.

Pep Guardiola believes Erling Haaland will find his form so long as the rest of his Manchester City team-mates raise their game but has not ruled out January transfer window signings as he looks to revive the Premier League champions' fortunes.

Guardiola's side have lost eight of their past 11 games in all competitions following the devastating 2-1 defeat in the Manchester derby at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.

Manchester City have won just once in 11 games in all competitions, a run that includes eight defeats.