MANCHESTER -- Pep Guardiola has defended Claudio Bravo ahead of Manchester City's clash with Tottenham Hotspur, saying the whole team needs to improve.
The City goalkeeper came in for criticism following the 4-0 defeat to Everton last Sunday when the Toffees scored from each of their four goals on target.
Bravo has been beaten by 14 of the last 22 shots on target -- the worst record of any keeper in the Premier League -- but Guardiola says he and the whole team, must take responsibility for bad results.
Asked about the criticism Bravo has come in for since the Goodison Park defeat, Guardiola told a news conference: "[We have to] accept it, it is part of our job -- the manager's job, the players' job, so accept it.
"[We need to] do well in the boxes and be stronger than we were. We will be stronger in front, be stronger in back. We when are stronger at the back, we will be stronger in front.
"The position is not about the goalkeeper. It would be easy for me, if it were about that. Play better and score the chances we had and concede fewer when the opponents arrive."
Bravo is expected to start Saturday's clash with Spurs and City will also have Brazilian striker Gabriel Jesus available after the Football Association ratified his registration this week.
The 19-year-old has been training with the first team and is ready to go into the squad although Guardiola warned that he is short of match practise having not played since Nov. 27.
"He is fit, he is ready to be involved in the squad, in team," Guardiola said. "He is a young player, 19 years old, so we cannot think he is going to solve our problems.
"He is going to help us in the Premier League. He will have all the time to get involved.
"It will be easier if he could have arrived at the beginning of the season. Now is the middle of the season with not too many training sessions. But he is smart and has quality and is going to help us."
City are three points behind second-placed Spurs, who were the first side to beat Guardiola's side this season and the Spaniard is impressed with how Mauricio Pochettino has built his squad, describing them as "brilliant."
"It is the third season there, they play how he wants," he said. "It is a really good team, strong physically, good build-up, good quality between the lines with [Christian] Eriksen and Dele Alli. Physical and technical full-backs with [Danny] Rose and [Kyle] Walker, you know them from the national team in England.
"It is a real good team. They play attractive."