Pep Guardiola identifies control fix to Man City defensive issues at start of season

Pep Guardiola says Manchester City must have more control in order to stop conceding the goals that have characterised their start to the season.

City have won three and drawn one of their Premier League fixtures so far, but have conceded five goals in their last two games and both times had to come back from two goals down to get points. Guardiola was critical of City's 'behaviour' as they conceded two set-piece goals against Crystal Palace, and he addressed the issue in his pre-match comments ahead of the visit of Nottingham Forest on Wednesday.

Guardiola had also warned that while City have successfully clawed back two-goal deficits in four of their last six league games, that luck will soon run out and is not a sustainable approach.

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"Yes, we have to try to avoid it," he said of coming from behind. "In the last years always when we were down it was difficult to come back. Now we prove we can do it but we have to avoid it where possible. Is a risk. One day will not be able to come back."

Guardiola was also pressed on whether City's attacking style invites a greater risk of conceding, to which he gave a passionate defence of City's tactics - while at the same time urging his side to have more control to avoid conceding goals as frequently as they haven.

"You say as much we attack is why we concede? Six years, we have done like this and our levels to concede was minimal," he said.

"Some destruction we have to do it. As much far away from your goal you are safer. In six years in the Premier League we concede fewer chances. We are going to adjust something and it is going to happen. it's normal in that period.

"Always we concede few, against Palace