Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe refused to accept that his players were complacent in their 4-0 loss to Man City.
The Cherries started the day on 38 points and probably in need of just one more win in the final seven games of the season to be sure of avoiding relegation from the Premier League.
However, Bournemouth followed up their 3-0 loss at Tottenham Hotspur before the international break with another one-sided defeat at the Vitality Stadium.
Howe, though, puts those back-to-back reverses down to the quality of the opposition, rather than his players switching off thinking they are already safe.
"The human brain is complex, but I would like to think that the players have not stopped doing what has brought them all the good things and the points that we have got," he said.
"We have played two very good teams and I think we have caught them on bad days when we have not been anywhere near our level. So we have to make sure that next week we are back on it."
Howe was also quick to praise the quality of City's play on the south coast, with the visitors racing into a 3-0 lead after just 19 minutes through strikes from Fernando, Kevin De Bruyne and Sergio Aguero.
"I think we caught Man City on a very god day, they scored some good goals, but from our perspective they were probably self-inflicted at times," Howe said.
"The start was very difficult and when you are 3-0 down against a very good team, it is a long game. But credit to the players, we did not let our heads drop and cave in, but it was a difficult watch, especially early.
"When you are 3-0 down so early in the game, it is always going to be an uphill struggle from that point.
"The first goal is probably the most disappointing one because it is a set play, there is nothing in it and a poor ball in really. We have not dealt with the first ball and the lad has hooked it in well.
"When you give a good team an early goal, then it gives them a lift and makes it very difficult."