WITHOUT SERGIO CITY ARE SHORT OF GOALS AND PEP ADMITS: I’M WORRIED

PEP GUARDIOLA admitted Manchester City are struggling to turn chances into goals – and conceded it is a concern.

Without star striker Sergio Aguero, still making his way back from injury and not included in Guardiola’s squad, City lacked a clinical edge up front (Raheem Sterling being marshalled by Harry Maguire, above).

Asked how to solve the problem, the City boss said: “Put the ball in the goal. This is the solution.

“We didn’t concede again like we didn’t against Porto and against Marseille. This is a good point for us to start from here. OK, up front we are struggling.”

Guardiola, who went with two holding midfielders in Fernandinho and Rodri, in a curiously cautious approach, admitted he could have been more daring, but said City had the best of the chances in the goalless stalemate.

“The two holding midfielders? Be more adventurous?,” said Guardiola. “We were more adventurous than them and created more chances.

“Maybe we could have been more attack-minded. But I’m the manager and I see the team, I see the opponent and what happened in past games.

“There are many reasons why I decided to play as we did. They can play different systems and, when you create the chances we had for Raheem Sterling and Gabriel Jesus, considering the moment we’re in, it’s good.”

Guardiola warned Aymeric Laporte he is set to remain on the bench after praising the centraldefensive partnership between John Stones and Ruben Dias.

“Aymeric deserves to be in the team, but so do John and Ruben,” said the Spaniard. “They played incredibly well in the last games and didn’t make a single mistake.

“What players have to do is work harder and better, and the moment will come. And, when the moment comes, have a good performance.

“But it’s about how you perform right now. And right now, John and Ruben performed brilliantly, so they play.”