Shaun Goater explains how Man City squad will react to Pep Guardiola reality check

Pep Guardiola says Manchester City can't compete with the best teams in the Premier League and Champions League.

Manchester City players will use Pep Guardiola's criticism of his side as motivation to compete in the Champions League.

That is according to City legend Shaun Goater, who says Guardiola has tried to take the pressure off his players following the derby defeat to Manchester United this weekend.

City slipped to 14 points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool with the defeat, with Goater telling Sky Sports that retaining the title is now out of their hands.

After the derby, Guardiola offered a reality check to his side, claiming they are not at the level of the better sides in the Premier League or across Europe.

"United have the quality to defend and the quality to attack on the counter-attack and you have to accept that but that is the level we face against Liverpool, United, Barcelona, Madrid, Juventus," Guardiola said.

"That is the [level of the] teams we have to face and the reality is maybe we are not able now to compete with them so we have to improve and accept it and move forward."

But Goater believes Guardiola's comments were designed to ease the pressure on his squad, declaring that City players will use the criticism as motivation for trying to win the Champions League.

Discussing City's priorities going forward, Goater said: "I believe [the title is] too big a margin for City to pull back. Liverpool are doing ever so well.

"They're so consistent, they bring in players that have been used as subs and they've come on and performed so I think it's just too big for City to pull back now."

On Guardiola's comments, Goater predicted how City will react in Europe, saying: "It's probably because the league's out of touch to take the heat off. Everyone will be thinking focus can now be put on the Champions League.

"That statement's probably to take the heat off the players, but believe me within the dressing room they'll certainly be going for it but they'll also need to improve defensively."