Enzo Maresca's high-flying Chelsea beat Brentford 2-1 at Stamford Bridge to close to within two points of long-time leaders Liverpool, who have 36 points.

Guardiola was met with chants of "you're getting sacked in the morning" from the home support after City suffered a sixth defeat in seven games to fall 11 points behind the Reds at the top of the table.

City's staggering loss of form resulted in five successive defeats in all competitions and while they ended that losing streak on Tuesday, a 3-3 home draw with Feyenoord in the Champions league, having been three up, only fuelled the sense that the wheels have fallen off Pep Guardiola's juggernaut.

Pep Guardiola insisted Wednesday he did not mean to make light of issues of self harm after comments about a cut on his nose following Manchester City's Champions League collapse against Feyenoord.

Manchester City were hammered 4-0 by Tottenham at the Etihad Stadium, extending their losing run to five matches in all competitions.

Spaniard Guardiola's decision means he will spend more than a decade at the club he joined in 2016 and has led to a dazzling array of silverware, including six Premier League titles and one Champions League crown.

Manchester City have lost each of their last four matches in all competitions, and Pep Guardiola admitted he is worried.

City's 4-1 defeat to Sporting Lisbon on Tuesday was a third straight loss for the English champions -- the first time that has happened since 2018.

Pep Guardiola believes Manchester City will struggle to overcome a mounting injury crisis but encouraged the English champions to bounce back in Tuesday's Champions League trip to Sporting Lisbon.

Sporting Lisbon coach Ruben Amorim, who will take over at Manchester United next week, hailed Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola as the best in the world on Monday.

The defeat dropped City to second spot, two points behind Liverpool who recovered to beat Brighton & Hove Albion 2-1.

Pep Guardiola says Manchester City face an "emergency" in certain positions as he grapples with a punishing injury list ahead of Saturday's trip to Bournemouth.

"What can I say?," said the Spaniard. "First, to congratulate him and all his family and their friends, it's incredible news for him and for all of us."

Pep Guardiola saluted his Manchester City stars' "incredible" mentality as he insisted his bond with the squad is as strong as ever.

Former Chelsea and Bayern Munich boss Tuchel is the first German to manage England and only the third foreigner to take charge after the late Sven-Goran Eriksson of Sweden and Italian Fabio Capello.

The Times reported on Monday that the FA made an informal approach to Guardiola at the beginning of the season over his availability to succeed Gareth Southgate.

Arteta, who worked as Guardiola's assistant at City before becoming Arsenal boss, said the controversy would not get in the way of his personal relationship with his fellow Spaniard.

Mikel Arteta stood by Arsenal's defensive tactics in their explosive Premier League clash with Manchester City, saying he would have been "thick" not to learn from previous clashes.

City, who have dominated English football since Guardiola's arrival in 2016, face a hefty points deduction or even expulsion from the league if found guilty on some or all of the 115 charges relating to financial regulations.

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola on Friday urged players to lead the fight for change in the heated debate over the dangers posed by an increased fixture schedule as Bayern Munich manager Vincent Kompany demanded a cap on games.