Pep Guardiola said he is not deflated at having to battle for a place in next season's Champions League and believes doing so would be a "huge success" in a difficult season for Manchester City.

Pep Guardiola has warned his Manchester City flops that Champions League qualification will not "fall from the sky" after a painful 1-0 defeat at top four rivals Nottingham Forest on Saturday.

Erling Haaland returned from injury to clinch Manchester City's 1-0 win at Tottenham as the troubled champions moved into fourth place in the Premier League on Wednesday.

Guardiola, whose fourth-placed team have won six out of the past seven Premier League titles, said he was not fazed by the challenge of rejuvenating City, whom he joined in 2016.

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola said Erling Haaland remains a doubt for Sunday's Premier League clash against Liverpool after sitting out his side's Champions League exit to Real Madrid.

"We have been extraordinarily extraordinary in the past, but not any more," Guardiola told a press conference on Wednesday.

When the topic of miracles in the Champions League comes to the fore, the first team that would pop up in any fan’s mind would be Real Madrid.

His team trail after a late collapse saw Real beat them 3-2 at the Etihad in the first leg last week.

City were defeated 3-2 at home in the first leg of their play-off clash last week despite leading 2-1 with just four minutes left in the tie.

City have struggled badly without Ballon d'Or winner Rodri, who suffered a serious knee injury in September.

Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany on Friday compared his side's current duel with Bayer Leverkusen to the Manchester City-Liverpool Premier League battles of his playing days.

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.