Manchester City winger Jeremy Doku has criticised his side's slow start following Saturday's 3-1 Premier League defeat to Nottingham Forest.
Enzo Maresca's team conceded twice inside 18 minutes at the City Ground before Rayan Cherki briefly revived their hopes after half-time.
However, Liam Delap's second goal sealed City's third consecutive league defeat, leaving them six points behind leaders Arsenal.
Jeremy Doku refuses to blame Manchester City's fixture schedule
Speaking to Manchester City's official website, Doku admitted that his side had made their task unnecessarily difficult.
"First half we were behind 2-0, playing away to a side like this and losing 2-0 is making things difficult for ourselves," the Belgian international explained.
Jair Cunha opened the scoring in the sixth minute before former City striker Delap doubled Forest's lead.
Despite City's demanding schedule, Doku refused to use fatigue as an excuse.
"We are used to playing every two days. That's not a reason," he insisted.
Manchester City punished despite second-half response
Cherki reduced the deficit with a spectacular 52nd-minute strike as City pushed forward in search of an equaliser.
However, their attacking approach left space for Forest to counter, allowing Delap to complete his brace in the 73rd minute.
"We reacted too late. If we had started the game like this it would have been different," Doku admitted.
The defeat followed Premier League losses against Aston Villa and Brighton, ending City's impressive opening run of seven consecutive league victories.
Doku welcomes international break after third straight defeat
Doku believes the November international break offers City an opportunity to assess their recent performances.
"We need to be fresh minds, start again and analyse what we can do better and move forward," he said.
"The international break comes at the right moment for us to analyse and come back refreshed."
City return to Premier League action against Fulham at the Etihad Stadium on 21 November.
Key Points
- Manchester City lost 3-1 to Nottingham Forest.
- Doku criticised City's slow start and rejected fatigue as an excuse.
- Delap scored twice against his former club.
- City trail Arsenal by six points after three consecutive league defeats.
What's Next?
Maresca will look to address City's defensive problems during the international break before their home fixture against Fulham.
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