Pep Guardiola admitted Manchester City "are not in the position to think about being champions" after seeing their Premier League title challenge suffer a huge blow against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.
Harry Kane's strike on 15 minute – his record-setting 267th for Spurs – secured all three points as City extended their run of matches at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium without a goal to five games.
Guardiola's side would have moved within two points of leaders Arsenal – who suffered only their second league defeat of the season on Saturday away to Everton – with a victory in North London but their own 1-0 setback leaves the Gunners firmly in control of the title race.
Second-placed City are five points behind Arsenal, who have a game in hand and host Guardiola's men on February 15.
Asked how frustrating it was to miss the chance to close the gap on Arsenal, Guardiola said: "Yes, of course, Arsenal have dropped few, few points so far and of course there was an opportunity.
"It was important to be close to Arsenal and leave the fifth place in the table, that Tottenham is right now, far away.
"We are not in the position to think about being champions."
Tottenham's plush new stadium has been a house of horrors for City since it opened in 2019.
They have lost on all five of their visits and are yet to score a single goal there.
After dominating possession in the early stages, City faded badly after Kane's history-making goal.
With Kevin de Bruyne left on the bench for the first hour and Phil Foden absent from the squad due to illness, City lacked the creative quality to supply Erling Haaland with the kind of chance that Kane buried.
Haaland, well marshalled by Cristian Romero before the Tottenham defender's late red card, failed to have a single attempt on goal for the first time since his move from Borussia Dortmund last season.
It was a worrying sight for Guardiola, who faced criticism for leaving out Belgium playmaker De Bruyne for what he called "tactical" reasons.
Spurs v Man City ratings
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TOTTENHAM RATINGS: Hugo Lloris 7: Certainly would not have been expecting such a quiet game in terms of big saves or being put under pressure. Beaten all ends up by Mahrez strike that hit bar. Had City claiming penalty when he clattered into Rodri in injury-time but nothing given. AP -
Cristian Romero 5: Ludicrous sliding challenge on Haaland in opposition’s half within 30 minutes to earn one of the most obvious yellow cards you will ever see. Second booking felt inevitable and came with four minutes left for foul on Grealish. AFP -
Eric Dier 8: Two attempts on City goal blocked just before half-time but it's at other of pitch where his main job lies and he did that with aplomb. Helped keep Haaland’s threat down to bare minimum and deflected Alvarez’s shot over for corner that looked destined for net. EPA -
Ben Davies 7: Solid at back against City’s dangerous set of attacking players. Sent near-post header from corner just over bar just before hour mark. EPA -
Emerson Royal 7: One brilliant defensive header from searching Walker cross with Grealish lurking just behind. Some frank exchange of views with Grealish that ended with Brazilian chopping down the England attacker not long after. PA -
Pierre-Emerick Hojbjerg 8: Intercepted Rodri’s dreadful pass to set-up Kane’s record-breaking goal with perfect pass. Excellent box-to-box midfield performance from Dane. Getty -
Rodrigo Bentancur 7: Game’s first booking for fouling Lewis. Looked to break through the City lines with his passing and generally found his man. EPA -
Ivan Perisic 7: Usual dangerous crossing and one low ball in second half was centimetres from picking out Harry Kane at back post. Booked for blatant foul on Silva. Getty -
Dejan Kulusevski 8: Always an attacking threat and remains crucial to Spurs as they aim to reignite top-four bid. Fancied his chances on counter against City’s defence. Getty -
Son Heung-min 7: Looked a bit more like his usual dangerous self here in what has been disappointing season by his very high standards. Set up chance for Kane with one surging run, forced decent save from Ederson with shot from outside box. AP -
Harry Kane 7: Slotted home first-time finish after 15 minutes to break Jimmy Greaves’ all-time Spurs goals record and reach 200 Premier League goal barrier. Denied another after barging past Walker only for Ederson to block well. AFP -
SUBS: Ryan Sessegnon (On for Peresic 79’) N/A. EPA -
Yves Bissouma (On for Son 84’) N/A. Getty -
Davinson Sanchez (On for Kulusevski 89’) N/A. Reuters -
MAN CITY: Ederson 6: Some unusually erratic distribution in first half. No chance with goal as defence gifted ball to Spurs. Couple of decent saves after break – once to deny Kane a second goal. Booked for protesting too vociferously at decision late in game. Getty -
Kyle Walker 6: Not the most convincing of games from defender. Brushed aside by England teammate Kane in second half and needed rescuing by goalkeeper. Booked in injury-time. PA -
Manuel Akanji 6: Has been good signing for City but, like rest of defence, struggled with Spurs’ counter-attacking at times. Reuters -
Nathan Ake 8: Stood tall and blocked well as Kulusevski ended charging run with strike at goal. Fine game from Dutchman, won important challenges in air and on ground. City's best defender on night. Reuters -
Rico Lewis 5: Struggled positioning wise in opening 45 minutes, regularly bailed out by teammate Grealish down City’s left flank. Role he is being asked to play does not seem to suit him. Reuters -
Rodri 6: Dreadful back out defence gifted ball to Spurs and led to Kane’s record-breaking goal. Weak shot easily saved by Lloris five minutes before break. Reuters -
Bernado Silva 6: Drilled low shot straight at keeper and helped City dominate possession but just not enough threat with final ball, or enough passes to utilise goal threat of Haaland. Reuters -
Riyad Mahrez 7: Scored twice against Spurs last month and cracked the crossbar here with powerful strike just before break. Slightly surprising he was taken off just before hour mark. Reuters -
Julian Alvarez 6: Chosen in front of Kevin de Bruyne but never looked goal threat until 62nd minute when Dier deflected his goal-bound shot over bar. Then flashed another shot just wide not long after. Getty -
Jack Grealish 8: Certainly couldn’t fault his defensive work in first half when he was forced to track back and help out Lewis on multiple occasions. Comfortably City’s biggest attacking threat with his drirect running at defence. On receiving end of some rough challenges from likes of Emerson and Romero. Reuters -
Erling Haaland 5: Starved of any service in opening half when you felt City were crying out for Kevin de Bruyne’s creativity. Looked frustrated figure at times, even after introduction of Belgian midfielder. Getty -
SUBS: Kevin de Bruyne (On for Mahrez 59’) 7: Bizarre that Belgian didn’t start such a big game. Clever free-kick from next to byline teed-up chance for Alvarez. Curled low shot wide of target himself. Reuters -
Ilkay Gundogan (On for Silva 84’) N/A. Reuters
After winning four titles in the last five seasons, City look more vulnerable than at any time in Guardiola's reign.
He conceded his team's latest inconsistent display was part of a worrying pattern City have been unable to stem throughout a campaign that threatens to fizzle out.
"Of course I have a lot of gratitude for these players. Always I try to do my best, I don't want to drop much but I knew it," he said.
"I said many times I knew we are not the same after winning a lot. Me included, I am the first to talk about that.
"It doesn't matter what happened in the past or the success we had. No, we have to try to do it again. Now we are sad, tomorrow we will reflect."
