Guardiola: Man City needed a ‘punch in the mouth’ after treble season

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola believes Wednesday night’s loss at Aston Villa may prove beneficial for the Premier League champions.

City lie seven points behind leaders Liverpool in the table ahead of Sunday’s trip to Luton.

And despite going down 1-0 at Villa Park, Guardiola thinks the setback may prompt a positive response from his Treble winners.

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He said: “Sometimes after winning you want to try to do extra but you don’t do it because you have won a lot.

“You need a punch in the face. Now let’s see.

“Will we be able to cope with the next situation? I don’t know what will happen. I don’t know how the players will react but that is the challenge.”

Guardiola’s men have already dropped points on six occasions so far this season.

Back-to-back away losses at Wolves and Arsenal before the October international break have been followed by draws against Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham within the past month.

Yet the Catalan tactician denies there is any complacency in his squad, as they prepare for the trip to Kenilworth Road.

He added: “There is always that tendency when we lose games to ask about whether we are hungry, the consistency, is there complacency?

“I do not believe that for one second. It’s too simplistic.

“I have said many times that I have never found a football player that when they go out on the pitch they don’t want to do well, they don’t want to fight, they don’t want to run, they don’t want to be positive for the team.

“They don’t want to play in front of 60,000 people and play bad. There is not one person in the world that wants that to happen.

“If we are to win at Luton, we have to be incredible, happy and realise how difficult it is.”