Fernandinho Warns Manchester City Could Drop Out of Premier League's Top 4

Fernandinho has warned Manchester City could be dragged into a battle to stay in the Premier League's top four if they do not turn around their form quickly.

The Sky Blues lost 2-0 to Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, their sixth league defeat of the season, the same amount they suffered in the last two full campaigns combined:

As a result, they are 22 points behind leaders Liverpool, and their chances of winning a third consecutive title are over:

Pep Guardiola's side are still 12 points clear of fifth-placed Spurs, though, and they could be forgiven for turning their attentions to the cup competitions they still have a chance of winning: the FA Cup, the Carabao Cup and the UEFA Champions League.

However, Fernandinho has said City cannot take their eye off the ball in the Premier League or else their Champions League future could be in danger, per Perform (h/t AS):

"We have to focus on the Premier League too, not only on the other competitions. If we don't carry on we can be dropped out the top four, so we need to qualify for the Champions League next season. We will focus on the cups and the Champions League too, but we are professionals. We need to show our character until the end of the season and finish the league in the best possible way."

City are back in action on Sunday when they host West Ham United in the Premier League.

The Hammers are miserably out of form. They are winless in six games, so if City struggle to beat them at the Etihad Stadium, there will be concerns.

City then have a weekend off before a trip to Leicester City, which is followed by the first leg of their UEFA Champions League last-16 tie against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu on February 26.

If the Sky Blues can go all the way in Europe's biggest club competition this season and win their first Champions League, it will more than make up for losing the Premier League title.

Beating Real will be a big challenge, though.

The Madrid giants have won four of the last six Champions Leagues, three of them under Zinedine Zidane, who looks to have got Real close to their dominant best again this term.

Los Blancos are top of La Liga and have not lost a match in any competition since October, a run of 21 games unbeaten.