Pep Guardiola has spoken out after watching his Manchester City side lose 2-0 to Liverpool on Sunday.
The reigning Premier League champions went into the showdown at the Etihad Stadium hoping to bounce back following their midweek Champions League exit at the hands of Real Madrid.
But that didn't happen, with Liverpool winning 2-0 courtesy of first half goals from Mohamed Salah and Dominik Szoboszlai.
Guardiola's team have now lost eight league matches this season.
Pep Guardiola has spoken out after watching his Manchester City side lose 2-0 to Liverpool on Sunday
PA
As a result, they're fighting to qualify for next season's Champions League - rather than gunning for Premier League title glory.
Guardiola, speaking to Sky Sports, has expressed a belief that his team played 'well' - despite being without star man Erling Haaland.
And the Spaniard also lamented his side's lack of cutting edge, too.
He said: "We played very good.
JUST IN:Lionel Messi grabs coach by the neck and screams at referee as Inter Miami star loses temper
"Maybe we missed more productivity in the shots but we played against a fantastic team. Maybe at the start it was 50-50 and we could not convert.
"Second half they defended very deep. We have done something we have not tried for many games which was we brought them to their box and tried to beat them there.
"The tactic was to arrive in the final third and the byline and it happened a lot but we did not score. We missed the next bit a little bit and with crosses it is almost impossible to do it because of their size.
"We could not find the next step."
READ MORE: Tennis legend's wife calls Donald Trump a 'joke' as trans athletes White House row erupts
Man City were undone by the brilliance of Mohamed Salah in their 2-0 Premier League defeat to Liverpool on Sunday
PA
With City beaten by Liverpool, and with the FA Cup representing their last chance of a trophy this season, some have started to wonder if their empire is in ruins.
But a defiant Guardiola insists the future is bright at the club, despite their inconsistent performances.
"If you lose, you have to lose the way we lost today," he said.
"I saw many things that this club has a bright future with the players that we have.
LATEST SPORTS NEWS:
With City beaten by Liverpool, and with the FA Cup representing their last chance of a trophy this season, some have started to wonder if their empire is in ruins.
But a defiant Guardiola insists the future is bright at the club, despite their inconsistent performances.
"If you lose, you have to lose the way we lost today," he said.
"I saw many things that this club has a bright future with the players that we have.
Pep Guardiola is confident Man City will bounce back, with better days ahead despite their defeat to Liverpool
PA
"We are far away. We will see in the future.
"What we have done in previous seasons is good but now we are away from them. We played with personality which was really good."
