John Stones demands Manchester City teammates be ‘self-critical’ after Arsenal demolition | OneFootball

Manchester City’s ‘experienced and hungry winners’ need to be critical of themselves in light of their 5-1 defeat at Arsenal, John Stones has insisted.

The Premier League champions endured yet another damaging blow in an increasingly difficult season on Sunday afternoon, this time at the hands of a side that they have beaten to the Premier League title in the last two seasons.

Erling Haaland may have thought he had inspired a City comeback for the ages when he headed home an equaliser in the second-half at the Emirates Stadium, only for Mikel Arteta’s players to respond with a further four goals and send home the champions embarrassed.

Critical words would follow after the game from a number of members within the squad, not least John Stones – who felt it necessary to issue a personal apology to the travelling Manchester City fans in North London on the afternoon.

Speaking after the heavy defeat at the Emirates, Stones insisted that now is the time for him and his teammates to criticise themselves individually and analyse individual performances to collectively improve.

“We can make it complicated or face it head on. Answer difficult questions and look at difficult footage and be self-critical is the best way to approach this. We need to be truthful. We’ve been through some difficult periods in the past,” Stones said.

He continued, “We have to put the pressure on ourselves to improve. We will watch the game back thoroughly and be self-critical. We’ve got to look ourselves and our individual game and what we can do better to manage these situations. Collectively, we have to move forward.

“I definitely don’t take losing well and don’t want to be in a situation like that again this season. We’ve got an incredible group; experienced and hungry winners.

“We need to stick together, find that spark again which we showed in so many parts of our game in the first half. We’ve got to stick together.”

Manchester City’s next opportunity to redeem themselves after a humbling afternoon in North London will come in a mammoth week for the club when it comes to their trophy ambitions for the rest of the season.

The squad travel south to take on League One side Leyton Orient in the fourth round of the FA Cup on Saturday lunchtime, before welcoming Real Madrid to the Etihad Stadium in the first-leg of a last-16 play-off tie in the UEFA Champions League.