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Guardiola aiming for record fourth straight clean sheet

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola will be gunning for a personal record when his team take on West Bromwich Albion in a third-round League Cup clash tomorrow morning (Singapore time).

Much has been said about the fearsome City attack, but if they can avoid conceding a goal at The Hawthorns, it will be the first time Guardiola has kept four straight clean sheets since joining the club last year.

City's last three matches have ended in a 5-0 win over Liverpool, a 4-0 victory over Feyenoord Rotterdam and a 6-0 thumping of Watford.

They currently boast of the top flight's joint-best attacking (16 goals scored) and defensive (two goals conceded) records, which are identical to Man United's.

"Last season, we were not able to play, but the team play - everybody was good," Guardiola said.

"The results are important, three clean sheets, but it's the way we played good with the build-up, short passes, a lot of energy from the fullbacks to get up and down.

"The most important thing is to play good and then you win."

City, who finished third last season, spent the most among the Premier League clubs during the summer transfer window - £215 million (S$390m).

Man United's Ander Herrera, whose club splashed out more than £140 million, reasoned that is why the pressure is all on City in a title race featuring both Manchester clubs as hot favourites.

He said: "Because of the money they have spent, they are the favourites.

"We won three titles last season and City didn't win anything. They are under pressure." - WIRE SERVICES

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