Pep Guardiola believes that Manchester City's recent dip in form has given his players the "shake" that they need to reignite their pursuit of a record-breaking fourth successive Premier League title.
The Citizens have gone four top-flight games in a row without a win for the first time since March/April 2017 after following up three consecutive draws against Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur with a 1-0 defeat at Aston Villa on Wednesday.
Now sitting fourth in the Premier League table, Man City are six points behind leaders Arsenal after 15 games and could find themselves nine points adrift of the Gunners if they beat Aston Villa on Saturday, before Guardiola's men travel to Kenilworth Road to face Luton Town on Sunday.
Guardiola has acknowledged that his Citizens side were second best against Aston Villa, but he has insisted that there is still a long way to go in the season and plenty of time for the club to get back on track.
"It's a good challenge for the players to say: 'Oh my god, Villa were so much better," Guardiola said at a press conference on Friday as quoted by mancity.com.
© Reuters
"Aston Villa were better, all the organisation said we could be out of the Champions League this season, we have to work hard.
"After the last few years we need it and then we can come out of here, otherwise nothing will change.
"We're in December, not even finished the first leg, a lot of games to play, Champions League, [in the] FA Cup we play Huddersfield, there are many exciting things ahead of us that we have to embrace.
"With that in mind say: 'okay let's work'. The club needs it. We need a shake, bad results can help that."
Guardiola has dismissed the notion that complacency has set in after last season's historic treble triumph and believes that their recent wobble reflects the competitive nature of the Premier League as well as highlights how the club must maintain their high standards to achieve their targets.
"It's not complacency," said the Catalan boss. "Complacency is when you arrive late and don't do your job. I'm saying the bad results show how difficult [it is] what we've done and what we do, the bad results help.
© Reuters
"Even for the media, they say yes. Four games without a win can be five, six or seven. And even the media say 'oh, they can lose'. All the people say, October, November City will win, we just need to discover the next three. But look how others come year by year.
"We have made a standard that people want to be there. I see the hunger in the opponents, to win. To recover that you have to lose.
"This is the problem though if you lose it's necessary. To realise it's not my worst. Themselves on the pitch I said 'Oh my god, the opponents are better'."
Guardiola has insisted that his Man City side will be "ready for the challenge" against a Luton outfit who have already drawn with Liverpool this season and came ever so close to claiming a point in Tuesday's 4-3 loss at home to Arsenal.
"They've done really well," said Guardiola. "Really, really well for the way they have played. Top clubs and teams like Arsenal and Liverpool have struggled to win.
"It'll be the same for us but we're ready for the challenge. We have to keep working and we'll try to do what we have to do."
Man City have won 13 of their last 14 Premier League away games against newly-promoted teams, while they are unbeaten in their last nine league meetings with Luton.
Oliver Thomas
