'The pattern of conceding goals has continued'

‘The pattern of conceding goals has continued’

Former Premier League midfielder Michael Brown says Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola will be “frustrated” with the manner in which his side conceded three goals in Tuesday’s 3-3 draw with Real Madrid in their Champions League quarter-final first leg.

“Guardiola is a perfectionist,” he told BBC Radio 5 Live’s Football Daily podcast.

“It is brilliant but hard to watch at times when City strangle and kill games and exert total control – when it is so slow and they grind teams down.

“The pattern of conceding goals has continued so I am sure it is something they will look at, trying to get a bit tighter and having more of that control on the ball in the return leg.”

City were without several key players in the Bernabeu – notably Kevin de Bruyne and Kyle Walker – and Brown believes Guardiola’s side will be a different proposition when they return to Manchester next week.

“With the changes to the side, injuries and other absences, there was probably one too many changes to kill the game,” he added. “They normally deal with those situations a lot better.

“You take a draw away from home going back to the Etihad – it was always a positive playing there second. City should go into that game a lot stronger with the team selection, but you can’t write Real Madrid off. That’s why they have these players.

“Phil Foden stepped up with an absolute worldie into the corner. His season is just getting better and better.

“It looked like City could just get away with it but you get carried away at your peril against these teams. An absolute classic and that is the way to watch football.”

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds