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MANCHESTER. — Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola criticised the club’s fans, despite a memorable fightback win over Tottenham on Thursday night.

City had to come from 2-0 down at half-time to beat Spurs 4-2, a result that left Guardiola’s side five points behind English Premier League football leaders Arsenal.

The home supporters booed City, English champions in four of the past five seasons, off at the break.

And Guardiola could not hide his anger at Manchester City’s players and supporters despite a rousing comeback against Tottenham – suggesting that the club no longer has any fire to succeed.

The City manager criticised almost every single member of his squad by name after the 4-2 victory and was insistent that they are nowhere near challenging Arsenal for the English Premier League title.

The defending champions were booed off at half-time, which appeared to upset the 52-year-old, and he suggested the club had become complacent with success.

‘’Playing with this lack of passion, this season I can announce we are not going to win anything,’’ Guardiola said.

‘’They booed because we were losing, but not because we played bad. We played good. We were better. They booed because we were losing, but maybe it’s like our team.

‘’Maybe they’re too comfortable because we have won four Premier Leagues in five years. After we scored a goal they react, but tsch, that is not the point.

‘’I don’t recognise my team, they (previously) had the passion and desire to run. Do you think we are going to chase the gap to Arsenal the way we are playing? No way.’’

Guardiola’s comments came just 24 hours after he actually praised the mentality of his stars and blamed himself for the poor performances and put it down to tactical and selection decisions.

‘’I want a reaction from the whole club — everyone,’’ he added. ‘’We are a happy flowers organisation. I don’t want happy flowers. I want to beat Arsenal. Play this way and Arsenal will destroy us.

‘’We are far away from the team we had in previous seasons. Do you think this comeback will happen every time? It won’t.

‘’Today we were lucky. If we want to win something or compete — but complaining, complaining, complaining — no chance we will win anything.

‘’There is something in the clouds, that you cannot express, that we just don’t have.

“Our fans were silent for 45 minutes – I want my fans back,” said Guardiola in a remarkable post-match interview.

“I want my fans that are here – not my away fans, they are the best – but my fans here to support every corner and every action, because Tottenham are one of the toughest opponents I’ve ever faced.’’

City had lost their previous two matches — 2-0 against Southampton in the League Cup and 2-1 to Manchester United in the English Premier League – and goals from Tottenham’s Dejan Kulusevski and Emerson Royal saw them go 2-0 behind.

But goals from Julian Alvarez and Erling Haaland and two from Riyad Mahrez gave City the win.

However, Guardiola was furious with his side and questioned their commitment and character.

“There’s nothing from the stomach, from the guts, and we were lucky but if we don’t change we will drop points,” he added in an interview with Sky Sports. “We have to prepare better, I cannot deny how happy we are but we are far away from the team that we were. “We gave them the first goal, and then the second goal is ridiculous.”

Asked what was missing, the Spaniard said: “Passion, fire and desire to want to win from the first minute.” — BBC Sport.