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Your thoughts on this run?

“It’s been a tough few weeks there’s no disputing that.

“The last two games in particular.

“It seems a carbon copy, we start the game brightly, create chances, make a mistake and the roof caves in.

“It makes it a tough evening.

“It’s one of those real tough periods at the moment.

“It’s been a tough six weeks but we have to be determined enough to see it through.

“That’s our aim now."

Thoughts on the penalty?

“If it is a penalty it’s very harsh. I’ve watched it five times.

“I’m not going to make that as an excuse but it was harsh.

“One mistake, like we did on Saturday, then we make it hard.

“The third goal, some of the defending was calamitous, mistake after mistake. That’s crept into us over the last five weeks or so.

“Every mistake we make is being punished. It was pretty evident again tonight.

“Just when we get in to 2-1, within six or seven minutes it goes to 3-1. It’s very difficult from there.”

Is it a mental problem now?

“The reason why we’ve got one of the biggest wage bills in the division is to deal with his mentality and expectation.

“That’s why they get paid more than anyone else in this division to handle the expectation.

“I have to say the crowd have been nothing short of magnificent in the last two games when it has been difficult for them, too. It’s hard to watch some of the stuff that we’ve been doing where we’re making mistake after mistake.

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Is it fair to say the team is struggling for an identity?

“Yes, that’s fair to say.

“We seemed to have found it a few weeks ago.

“We changed a few things. Maybe there was too much change, at the wrong time.

“I thought we needed it.

“With that it’s my responsibility.

“It’s very difficult now to make change. You need time to work with it.

“It was easy persuading them to come, now they realise how difficult it is.

“But I’m convinced they are made of the right stuff and I think they will get better. It’s up to me to make them better and help them."

What’s happened to Jack Grealish?

“I’m never going to criticise individuals, that’s not me.

“It’s a team and the team didn’t function well enough.

“It would be unfair of me to criticise any individual. As a team and a manager, then we simply haven’t been good enough over the last five weeks.

“That’s for all of them.

Are you looking over your shoulder at the relegation zone now?

“I’ve been accused of not caring, my body language is supposed to be c***.

“It’s the best club and biggest club I’ve had for 20 years but it’s arguably the toughest to turn around.

“Given time I know for a fact I’ll get it right,

“It’s difficult at the minute. We’re up against it.

“Now we have to roll our sleeves up and try to ride the storm, because there will be.

“Every man and his dog will have their say but I’m determined.

“I know what’s required in this division, I’ve been around it long enough.

“We’re short of it at the moment, I know what is required in the Championship.

“We’ve seen it tonight.”

Is it time to go back to basics?

“We’ve got the big name and the stadium and the big crowd and all the rest of it.

“For the best part of two months we mounted a challenge and were just short of the play-offs.

“Then change happened.

“For the sake of the club I thought it was the right thing to do.

“I know for the sake of the club it will make us better.

“We’ve got two full-backs waiting in the wings who will make us better.

“They will bring competition for Hutton and Amavi.

“There’s been big change for far too long.

“You need to stick your chest out and see it through.

“It’s tough for me to come in and do the television and tough but that’s what it is.

“Now we show our balls."

Are the players letting you down?

“That’s for you to write.

“I feel for them at the minute because they’re bright to start with.

“But collectively and individually, when it’s up against it, then they have to do the basics better.

“We make too many mistakes and get caught up in it.

“Then the mentality kicks in.

“But throughout it the crowd have been terrific,

“The crowd have been great. Of course there’s disappointed people but they’ve been magnificent."

Goals a major problem?

“There’s a lack of goals but we can’t keep a clean sheet either.

“It’s why we’re where we are.

“We have to give ourselves a base and do the basics well.

“That’s what the Championship is.

“They’ve had five attempts at goal and scored three. We’ve had almost 30."

How big of a shock has this come?

“I was under no illusion how difficult it was even though we had a difficult start.

“It still is.

“Hopefully we’ll be given time to turn it around. We’ve only been here for four months.

“It’s been tough. I will try to see it through."

Are you already in a relegation battle?

“I haven’t seen the table tonight, I just go by results and I don’t fear that.

“But you can’t dismiss it."