Pablo Zabaleta has told Manuel Pellegrini's critics that the Manchester City manager "deserves more respect" and insists the Chilean cannot be held solely responsible for their plight.
Pellegrini is under pressure after City have struggled to defend their Premier League title and have lost six of their last 11 matches.
But right-back Zabaleta said City's players have to share the blame for a disappointing season and accepted that many of them have not hit the heights this year.
"The manager deserves more respect from everyone," said the Argentina international.
"He came last season. He won the league and the Capital One. We cannot blame just the manager for this moment. Also individual players have not been great in the whole season. Everyone is responsible -- when you don't win titles it can be a little bit frustrating for everyone."
There have been suggestions City should look to sell several players but Zabaleta has rejected the notion they need a clearout and insisted they are judged differently to other clubs.
"When you look at the team, the players we've got you expect to play much better football. We must be honest with ourselves and recognise that it was not our best season but sometimes football is like that. You look at Liverpool, Arsenal, they are also greatest teams and they've not won that many trophies in the last few years.
"But at City it seems one disappointing season is like a disaster. Maybe it's because we've won the Premier League twice, the FA Cup, the Capital One [Cup]. Now it seems like because we have not won something it's a disaster and we have to change seven or eight players, the manager - that's what people say."
Zabaleta believes City have suffered as a result of last summer's World Cup, which meant 14 of their players did not have much of a summer break.
The right-back, central defender Martin Demichelis and striker Sergio Aguero were in the Argentina team who reached the final, while midfielder Fernandinho was a semifinalist with hosts Brazil.
In addition, Vincent Kompany captained Belgium to the quarterfinals while Bacary Sagna and Eliaquim Mangala were in the France squad that reached the final eight.
Ivory Coast internationals Yaya Toure and Wilfried Bony, Spain winger David Silva, Bosnia striker Edin Dzeko and the England trio of Joe Hart, James Milner and Frank Lampard all featured in the group stages.
"It has been hard after the World Cup -- we only had 20 days' holiday," Zabaleta explained. "There were so many games last season, seven games at the World Cup -- two in extra time.
"Mentally and physically it's been really tough. The Premier League is one of the most competitive in the world in terms of the physical demands -- it demands a lot. You need to be 100 percent to play at the right physical intensity for the whole season.
"It seems for a lot of players who were at the World Cup this season has been very tough -- not just in England. I can see problems with injuries outside here too. It is never easy after a World Cup."