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Munich - Bayern Munich manager Carlo Ancelotti believes Pep Guardiola needs time to get to know his Manchester City players.
Guardiola made a perfect start to his maiden Premier League season with City leading the way after the first few games, but they have struggled to find results of late and have slipped out of the top four.
Many have mused that the their lull in form and results is because the Spaniard hasn't adjusted to England, but Ancelotti has countered that the former Bayern and Barcelona boss needs time to get his ideas across to the new players.
“He has different players now and people sometimes underestimates what this means”, he told ESPN.
“Whatever problems he may have I think stem from the adjustment of working with guys he has never worked with before, getting them to come around to his way of thinking and getting to the point where they really get the full benefit of his approach. That takes time.
“I think that’s much more of an issue than him having to adapt to the Premier League.
“To get the benefit of Guardiola players have to adapt to him. It’s the same for me here at Bayern. The players have to get used to me and it has cost us at times. When I think back to some of the goals we’ve given up on the break… why, it’s enough to drive you insane.”
Guardiola's successor has guided his team to the top of the Budesliga while the former Barcelona manager has experienced an indifferent first half to the season as City languish in fifth position.
City next face a Crystal Palace side desperate for a win under new manager Sam Allardyce in the fourth round of the FA Cup at Selhurst Park on Saturday.
Kick off is at 17:00.
