Pep Guardiola told his Manchester City players that they cannot afford to keep coming back from behind as they clawed back another two-goal deficit in the Premier League, this time against Crystal Palace.
Trailing 2-0 at half time, City were a different side in the second half as Bernardo Silva got one goal back followed by a brilliant Erling Haaland hat-trick. Last week at Newcastle, where City trailed 3-1 before drawing, Guardiola said he always believed they could come back after they won the league on the final day last season in similar fashion vs Aston Villa.
So speaking after the Palace victory, Guardiola said his players deserve their win but cannot keep conceding as many goals as they have in recent games because 'we're playing with lots of risk and one day we don't come back.'
ALSO READ: Pep Guardiola names Erling Haaland quality that impressed him more than Man City hat-trick
He said: "We were not a team in the past who make lots of comebacks, we have to win and when we concede goals we couldn't do it.
"Lately we have these situations, I'd prefer to win 4-0 but Newcastle, Crystal Palace, how we struggle in the past against them. The value of the victory is nicer. We need that. I had the feeling we are able in the short time period, put lots of players and with the mentality we have we are able to score goals in a few minutes.
"That is good but you have control better the situations that are uncomfortable. The fault from the first goal, Ruben had the ball to make that fault, not necessary, Eddy has to save, have to defend the free kick. I know the players we have, have to take responsibility. Not lots of opponents, but Crystal Palace, they are so strong in these situations they wait to punish you. Today we were lucky to come back, in the past we lose that game.
"The Premier League doesn't wait. Doesn't wait, the teams are so strong. If you are behind points you don't come back."
Urging his players to cut out the mistakes, Guardiola admitted he has concerns over their defensive issues so far this season, that stretch into the end of last season.
"Always we were a team who concede few goals in the last years," he said. "The emotion from last season vs West Ham or Aston Villa was involved. We have to improve.
"How many shots on target Crystal Palace had? Two goals, one shot in the first half, no more than that. It's two halves, almost nothing. I'd sign right now at the end of the season that every team has two shots on target. They don't do anything much to score. Today happened good, we dropped points vs Newcastle, it was nice against Aston Villa, but we have to leave that position we are doing.
"We talk a lot of attack, and the quality of players offensively. We have to be more because in the Champions League or important teams in Premier League, if they are one or two goals up you don't come back.
"It's part of the back-to-back titles, it's normal. Today I'm more concerned because maybe they misunderstand me. Maybe I wasn't clear, today our game everyone has to stick to their position. We speak before and today didn't do it. It's good because we learn from that."
READ MORE:
