Pep: ‘City are getting better’

PEP GUARDIOLA feels Manchester City have produced much more of the style of football he wantss in recent weeks.

City are unbeaten in four since suffering a 4-0 loss at Everton last month.

In two of those games they were convincing, beating Crystal Palace in the FA Cup and West Ham in the League 3-0 and 4-0 respectively.

They were also impressive before being forced to settle for a draw against Spurs, and dominant even though they required a late winner to beat Swansea.

The sequence is much more reminiscent of the free-flowing attacking style in their 10-game winning start to the campaign than the disjointed form of the autumn.

Guardiola said: “The first half against Swansea it is what I want.

“We did not create too many chances because it is so difficult with 10 players there and there was a big difference in the second half from the first, so we need more consistency.

“But since Tottenham, West Ham and Crystal Palace, I think we are more stable, we control more.”

Top scorer Sergio Aguero has not started the last three games while new signing Gabriel Jesus has taken the chance to shine.

Goalkeeper Claudio Bravo has also been dropped, while another recent recruit, Nolito, also seems to have fallen out of favour.

But Guardiola insists all players remain in his thoughts.

The Spaniard, whose side face Bournemouth tomorrow, said: “I am thinking about the next game, I am not thinking too much about individual players.

“I think about our rhythm, our way to play that has been much better in the last period and try to help the players to be ready. We will need all of them.”

Nolito has not started since the Boxing Day win at Hull and featured only twice since.

Asked specifically what the Spain forward needed to do to get more game time, Guardiola said: “He doesn’t need anything more just the manager to play him

“We have three players in top form – Sane, Sterling and Gabriel Jesus – and that’s the only reason.”