working with Pep Guardiola has been even better
than he predicted, despite question marks over
their form in recent weeks.
City have won just two of their previous seven
games in all competitions and have lost their last
two Premier League matches against leaders
Chelsea and champions Leicester City.
A poor back-pass from Stones allowed Jamie
Vardy to complete his hat-trick in Leicester's 4-2
win on Saturday, with City's poor all-round
defensive display prompting scrutiny of Guardiola's
training methods.
But Stones, who joined from Everton in August for a
fee that could reportedly reach £50million,
maintains that Guardiola is the best in the game.
"He was 100 per cent a major factor, if not the
main reason for me coming," the England
international told the Times of India. "There's a lot
of factors to think about when you're moving clubs
but in my eyes, he's the best manager in the world
to work with.
"To be given that opportunity to work with him, I
couldn't say no. And working with him has been
even better than I expected."
Stones admits he is far from the standards that he
wishes to hit under Guardiola and says the former
Bayern Munich boss will always make it clear
when he expects more from his players.
"He will certainly tell you when something is
wrong," he said. "It's part of football, being told off
now and again. You are going to make mistakes.
That's how it is. That's also how you learn and
react. I think that's how every player moves on.
"I'm always the first person to know or say I've
made a mistake. I'll do that openly because that's
the only way you move forward and realise what
you have done wrong.
"I'm striving to be a top player. I know I've got a lot
of hard work to get through before I'm winning
titles and becoming the player I want to be. But
that's the aim."
Stones is eager to return to winning ways against
Watford at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday after
revealing his frustration at the 3-1 defeat they
suffered to Chelsea in their last home match.
"There was a real sour feeling running through
everyone's minds after we lost," added the 22-
year-old. "It was a difficult one to take.
"I don't think the score reflected the way we
played. In my opinion, it should have been us three
and them one, but that's football. You have to put
that to one side and just go and win games."
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