Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini has vowed to stick to his tried and tested approach to arrest the champions’ poor run of form.
The international break comes after one win in six matches for City, with their Champions League future teetering on the edge and with them eight points behind Premier League leaders Chelsea.
The latest blow came against survival hopefuls QPR in a 2-2 draw when City were outplayed bar Sergio Aguero’s brilliance and double strike.
Pellegrini, though, insisted he would not compromise his plans.
“We don’t have any doubts,” Pellegrini said.
“We will continue to work in the same way we are doing.
“We’ll continue to play the style of play we always do.
"And especially for me, when you have a bad moment you must have more trust in what you do.
“It’s important to have the national break.
"We are maybe not in a very good moment but the team continued fighting, continued working until the end.
“We tried to win. We had a lot of chances to score. We didn’t do it. That’s why we just drew.”
Pellegrini made some alterations following the midweek loss to CSKA Moscow – four changes in personnel and a change in shape to a 4-4-1-1 – but City were still susceptible in defence, particularly without Vincent Kompany as Eliaquim Mangala struggled.
The Chilean pointed to the goals against column in City’s defence and responded to Sam Allardyce’s comments last month that Mangala had been left exposed at West Ham by referencing his side’s record against the Hammers last season.
“When you are a manager and win you have all the solutions,” he said.
“The same manager (Allardyce), we last year scored 14 goals (in four games against West Ham) and he didn’t have the solution.
"We are conceding goals but we are the third best defence in the league, with one more goal (conceded) than Chelsea.
“So be careful, we’re not so bad.”