Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola said that his side played “good” despite going down to a seventh Premier League defeat of the season away at Manchester United.
City dominated possession in the first half but were undone when Anthony Martial’s volley from a clever Bruno Fernandes free-kick, which was lobbed into the area, beat Ederson.
In the second half, City pressed to find an equaliser but were sloppy in the final third and, at the death, Scott McTominay pounced on Ederson’s poor throw from his area to finish City off.
Speaking to Sky Sports after the game, Guardiola insisted that he was pleased with his side’s display.
“It was a good game, we played good,” the manager said. “We missed a little bit in the first half when we were arriving in the final third, we needed to be more aggressive.
“We conceded a goal which we should have avoided and after five minutes they have one or two counter-attacks.
“The second half was good and it was a good performance.”
Asked about whether his players could have defended better for Martial’s opener, Guardiola said: “”We knew that sometimes Fernandes does this kind of chipping but the quality of the opponent also counts.
“We were a little bit more aggressive but we play the same way, tried the press and defend well and we did well,” the City boss said of his side’s second-half display.
Pressed on Ederson’s display after two errors from the Brazilian led to United’s goals, Guardiola said: “He saved one or two, he’s an exceptional goalkeeper.”
City’s next game sees them face Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday in a re-arranged Premier League fixture.
They are then back in action on Saturday against Burnley, before Premier League champions-elect Liverpool play Everton next Monday night.
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