Pep Guardiola denied he has any concerns about Manchester City’s defence after they conceded the first goal in their 3-2 win against Fulham, after doing so earlier in the season in the victories over Ipswich and Brentford.
Andreas Pereira scored the opener for Marco Silva’s side in the 26th minute. Against Ipswich in August Sam Szmodics did the same after seven minutes and Yoane Wissa for the Bees inside a minute at the Etihad last month. Guardiola was asked if this is a cause for worry. “I would say except Wissa against Brentford, in the other ones we were playing good,” he said. “It’s not nice to come back from 0-1 but we created chances today to go 1-0 and 2-0.”
Pereira’s goal came courtesy of Raúl Jiménez’s impressive backheeled volley. “Sometimes I give credit. The first goal – why don’t we give credit to them rather than [be critical] defensively?” said Guardiola. “There are actions we can defend better but step by step we will improve.”
Mateo Kovacic scored for City in each half, with Jérémy Doku’s 82nd-minute strike proving decisive, given Rodrigo Muniz’s late goal. Guardiola praised Kovacic, who played in the No 6 role vacated by the injured Rodri. His three goals this term match his total for last season. “I’m very happy he scored two goals, he’s not a guy to score [usually] those goals,” the manager said.
“We started really well with two chances in two minutes and they switched immediately to five at the back. When they do that, we have one man free on the 18-yard box and that is Kovacic.
“The two goals were because they couldn’t defend that. We have to exploit that more against teams that don’t play five at the back – now opponents know that they can’t leave him [Kovacic] alone, otherwise he will score a goal.”
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Silva said: “Looking at the performance the players executed the plan went really well, the performance was an excellent one. Looking at the chances we create and comparing with City, we deserve more from the game, but that is football.”
