Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola admits they've been hit by a reality check with recent results.
City haven't won in the past four Premier League games.
"When you are winning you are the best in the world - not winning it's a crisis," Guardiola said.
"It's always exaggerated.
"For a long time, we've lived like a cat and known how good we are.
"See how difficult what we have done is, and what will be? The bad results help you to understand it.
"It's not about complacency. Complacency is about arriving late to training, not training good, not doing a good job.
"But the fans and the media say 'Oh my God, they lose'. Four games without winning. It can be five, six. It can happen.
"But look at the next three [in the table]. How the teams do more and more, year by year. I see the hunger in the opponents. I see it.
"The players have to realise that it's not my words that can help, or our accomplishments. It's them on the pitch to say, 'Oh my god, the opponents are much better'.
"After that we can make a step forward. It's the only way."