Pep Guardiola insists Man City are only interested in long-term signings in January after poor form continued with 1-1 draw at home to Everton

Pep Guardiola insisted that Manchester City will not purchase short-term fixes in the January transfer window to save an ailing season.

The 1-1 draw with Everton on Boxing Day extended their dismal form to just one victory in their last 13 matches in all competitions and opened the door for their top four rivals to further widen the gap.

Guardiola admitted that even his own squad – who are bottom of the Premier League form table – are hoping for reinforcements after picking up just five points from the last available 27.

While the City boss conceded that January is a tough market, he is expecting transfer action to give his team a boost.

‘The transfer window in the winter is not easy,’ Guardiola said. ‘It’s about bringing a player for the next four or five years and we’ll have to see. We have to try because this (form) is sustained for a long time.

‘Even the players know that we have to add some new players. But after, when these players come and play in their positions, then they are unhappy. But we have a lot (of injuries) and this is a problem.’

Guardiola admitted that even his own squad are hoping for reinforcements in the window

Guardiola saw Erling Haaland miss a second-half penalty to add more angst at the Etihad Stadium but claimed that the defending champions were ‘really good’ against Sean Dyche’s side.

He was without eight first-team stars, saying Jack Grealish has an unidentified muscle problem and Kyle Walker is unwell. Ederson, the first-choice goalkeeper currently missing, ‘does not feel good’.

‘That is the momentum of the season, that is a little bit of the situation,’ he added. ‘Everything takes more time to make it work. With the table, I have no argument.

‘Football is about winning, scoring goals and not conceding, and always we’ve done it until the last month and a half. We’re not able to do it.’

Home supporters became more restless and nervous after Haaland’s miss – the Norwegian scoring in only three games since October – and Dyche suggested the jittery atmosphere gave the opposition a lift.

‘The prowess they have shown year after year, it is pretty impressive to have the first period being questioned after all the years so certainly we give them the maximum respect,’ Dyche said.

‘They are getting heavily questioned for the first time. Does that give you maximum opportunity? I do think they are due one and will open someone up but we worked hard to make sure it didn’t happen today.’