Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has insisted that his confidence in the team has not wavered despite their recent dip in form.
City won each of their first six Premier League games under Guardiola, but have since won just one of five, including a run of three consecutive home draws.
Guardiola's side will travel to Selhurst Park to take on Crystal Palace on Saturday looking to improve that recent form, and the Spaniard hinted that he could make changes to his team.
"We didn't win three games at home and we lost six points. But I try to be optimistic. We deserved to win and I have a lot of confidence in my team. We created enough to win the games and concede few. But we need to improve to find the right way to win these kinds of matches," he told reporters.
"It will be tough [against Palace]. A coach with a lot of experience in England. They are fast, one against one. We know the situation. The players who played 90 minutes [during the international break] are tired, especially the South Americans. But they are fit and that is the most important thing.
"The schedule is so stressful for the players. It's so demanding. We cannot lose, cannot play bad. We have to handle that. There are 23 in the squad who all need to play."
City have won four of their five away league games under Guardiola.
Barney Corkhill
