Pep Guardiola insists his Manchester City side will need to sharpen up in front of goal despite cruising to a comfortable Champions League 2-0 victory over Borussia Monchengladbacha as the Premier League leaders eased towards the quarter-finals of the competition after the first leg of their last-16 tie against the German side in Budapest.<\/p>\n
With Joao Cancelo creating the assists for the goals by Bernardo Silva and Gabriel Jesus scored either side of half-time, Monchengladbach offered little resistance, but Guardiola was apparently concerned about a lack of clear-cut chances creat ed by his side.<\/p>\n
The City boss said:<\/p>\n
\u201cIn general we played really well but we were not clinical enough up front.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe actions one against one \u2013 with the keeper, with the defenders \u2013 we have to be more clinical. You have to finish the action, at least make the keeper make a save and we didn\u2019t do it.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe created a lot of chances, we arrived in final third, the process was good, but have to finish better. In this competition you have to improve.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the Premier League we can drop points, we have a margin, but in this competition you don\u2019t have that chance. We have to be better.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know we have the quality to do it \u2013 I am not concerned about this \u2013 but, when you ask me my opinion on the game, if there was something I would like to improve it would be that.\u201d<\/p>\n
That particular frustration aside, City looked in complete control for most of the game as they competently racked up their 19th successive win across all competitions.<\/p>\n
Cancelo played an outstanding role in the match, curling in a superb cross for Silva\u2019s opener and sending another fine delivery into the box in the build-up to Jesus\u2019 strike.<\/p>\n
Guardiola said:<\/p>\n
\u201cHe drives with the ball and at the central defenders. He is a player with a huge quality and his physicality is overwhelming.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf we played another game tomorrow he would be ready to play. In the final third, he was brilliant. Two beautiful goals.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bernardo Silva also didn\u2019t fail to catch the eye, with the Portuguese not only finishing the first goal but also having a hand in the second with a cushioned header from Cancelo\u2019s cross.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"