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Shambolic City are in disarray after their third defeat in four games and Sagna admits it just isn't good enough.

Leading 1-0 through Kevin De Bruyne's third goal in three games, they collapsed in the second half as Tottenham ran riot with goals from Eric Dier, Toby Alderweireld, Harry Kane and Erik Lamela.

And normally mild-mannered City boss Manuel Pellegrini showed the strain by losing his cool with journalists after the game.

It was the worst possible way to warm up for Wednesday's must-win Champions League clash with Borussia Monchengladbach.

But Sagna did not pull any punches afterwards, accusing City of being too soft and losing their ruthless streak after recent home defeats to Juventus and West Ham.

He said: "We were too nice, we lost too many duels and we have to be killers.

(Image: GETTY)

"Not just now, but against Juventus, we had the chance to score goals and we didn't. At the end of the game, we lost the game.

"We have to learn, we have to keep positive. We controlled the first half and we have to keep reminding ourselves to be positive. We should have killed the game."

TV replays later showed three of the goals in this game were offside, with Dier's equaliser the clearest one of all.

But Sagna refused to use that as an excuse - and suggested City had just taken Spurs too lightly.

They had a helping hand from goalkeeper Willy Caballero who had a game to forget after replacing injured No.1 Joe Hart.

But Sagna said: "We conceded that goal just before half time, but it's not the reason to come back sloppy in the second half.

"Maybe we have shown too much confidence. We lost too many duels everywhere on the pitch. We know we are a good team. We know we can be champions."

Kane scored his first goal for Spurs in 748 minutes in front of delighted England boss Roy Hodgson, and then claimed he had silenced his critics.

He said: "Maybe I shut up a few people who have been talking over the last few weeks. Only seven games and a few people said one-season wonder.

"People can judge me at the end of the season and we will go from there. I have to stay focused but it is great to score.

"When you score like last season it becomes a drug, and when someone takes it away from you, you want to get it back. You want to score again - and it was a good feeling to score again.

"It is frustrating. I kind of use it to get my juices flowing and to prove these people wrong. I have had to prove people wrong throughout my career to get where I am.

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"It is not easy coming through as a youngster but it makes me want to get better and the more people say it, the more I want to prove them wrong.

"Everyone is entitled to their own opinion - that is football. People will big you up when you do well and when you are not doing so well, they are the ones who talk you down.

"But you have to stay focused. Football is a long season. I will not get carried away and I will try and score as regularly as I can.

"I want to do my best for the team, work hard and hopefully we will keep winning."

Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino hailed makeshift midfielder Dier for another cool and composed performance - and suggested the former Sporting Lisbon star could be an option for England there too.

Pochettino said: "Maybe, yes. My feeling was Dier can play there. It's true that sometimes in Portugal or Under 19s he played like a holding midfielder. It's not a new position for him.

"When you increase your level and the level of competition, there is some doubt, but we tried with him at the start of the season to play there and he was fantastic. He was a pleasure. He adapted very well.

"You can see today he has improved in that position. It's always important for every player when you score. It was important for him."

Tottenham (4-2-3-1): Lloris 7; Walker 6, Alderweireld 6, Vertonghen 6, Davies 6; Dier 7, Alli 6; Lamela 6 (Carroll 87), Son 6 (Njie 77), Eriksen 6; KANE 8. Subs: Vorm, Rose, Njie, Trippier, Townsend, Chadli.

UP NEXT: Monaco (a) Europa League, Thursday.

Manchester City (4-2-3-1): Caballero 4; Sagna 6, Demichelis 5, Otamendi 5, Kolarov 6; Fernando 5 (Nasri 71), Fernandinho 6; De Bruyne 6, TOURE 7 (Navas 55, 6), Sterling 5; Aguero 6 (Roberts 87). Subs: Hart, Evans, Zabaleta, Barker.

UP NEXT: Borussia Monchengladbach (a) Champions League, Wednesday

Referee: Mark Clattenburg 6

Star man: Harry Kane - Hard work pays off

Star shocker: Willy Caballero - Woeful

Match rating: 4