Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola has admitted that his side is at risk of missing out on next season’s Champions League due to their recent dip in form.

City have only won once in their last eight Premier League games.

Their latest 2-1 loss against Aston Villa last weekend saw them slumping to seventh place and four points behind Nottingham Forest, who occupy the fourth and final Champions League qualification berth.

Guardiola’s charges are now also 12 points behind leaders Liverpool.

They will host Everton in their next EPL game on Thursday.

“When I said before, people laughed. They said, ‘qualifying for the Champions League is not a big success’. But I know it because it happens with clubs in this country,” Guardiola told reporters ahead of the Everton clash.

“They were dominant for many years and after they were many years not qualifying for the Champions League. The one team that has been in the Champions League for the past years has been Manchester City. Now we are at risk, of course we are.”

After playing Everton on Boxing Day, Manchester City will play away versus Leicester City on 29 December and a home match against West Ham on 4 January.