We were too anxious - Pep

PEP Guardiola says Leicester’s gameplan led City players to believe they weren’t playing well in the first half of Sunday’s 5-2 defeat, leading to them being picked off on the counter-attack.

Despite dominating possession, the Blues went in at half-time level at 1-1.

Guardiola made an attacking substitution early in the second half by bringing on forward Liam Delap for Fernandinho to give his team more presence in the box, but the home team were then ripped apart as Leicester scored four more – including another two penalties.

City’s manager says his players lost confidence in the first half as the visitors squeezed the space on the pitch, and then were left so rocked by Leicester’s counterpunching they were unable to respond in the game.

“We played really good in the first 30 minutes,” said Guardiola. “We scored early on and I think they defended so deep, so it was not easy.

“We have to control the counterattack and the problem was we put extra pressure on ourselves to score the second or third when they just didn’t want to play, they just wanted to defend and play on the counter attack.

“In that position we have to be more calm. We were anxious to attack and say we are not creating chances, we got nervous and after we gave three penalties away. And when you do that you cannot [win the game].

“After 1-1 and 2-1 we were not strong enough to be stable, to be patient and settled.

“With their two [ranks of] fives they settled back there and it is so difficult to create chances, it is so difficult.

“It has happened in the past in our four years together that we were calm and patient, to move them, to run, and in the moment to find a solution.

“Because in these games we didn’t win three or four or five, we won 1-0 or 0-1 or 1-2 - short margins.

“The consequence (against Leicester) was more the fact we gave them three penalties and after that it is more difficult to win.

“But especially when we started to think we are playing badly when we are not playing badly.”