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Pep: Man City back to their best

BOURNEMOUTH MAN CITY

Pep Guardiola feels Manchester City have produced much more of the football he requires in recent weeks.

City are unbeaten in four games since suffering a 4-0 loss at Everton last month.

In two of those games they were convincing, beating Crystal Palace in the FA Cup and West Ham in the English Premier League 3-0 and 4-0 respectively.

They were also highly impressive before being forced to settle for a draw against Tottenham, and dominant even though they required a late winner to beat Swansea.

The sequence is much more reminiscent of the free-flowing attacking style that underpinned their 10-game winning start to the campaign than their disjointed form in autumn.

Guardiola said: "When I saw the first half against Swansea, it was what I wanted. We monopolised the ball, we arrived six, seven, eight times to the byeline.

"We did not create too many chances because it is so difficult with 10 players and there was a big difference in the second half (performance) from the first, so we need more consistency.

"But since Tottenham at home, West Ham and Crystal Palace, we are more stable, we control more."

EVERYONE HAS A ROLE

Top scorer Sergio Aguero has not started any of the last three games and new signing Gabriel Jesus has taken the chance to shine.

Goalkeeper Claudio Bravo, signed as a replacement for England No. 1 Joe Hart earlier this season, has also been dropped, while another recent recruit, Nolito, seems to have fallen out of favour, too.

But Guardiola insists all players remain in his thoughts.

The Spaniard, whose side travel to Bournemouth tomorrow morning (Singapore time), said: "I am concerned thinking about the next game. I am not thinking too much about individual players.

"I think about the next game, our rhythm, our way to play that has been much better in the last period and try to help the players to be ready. We will need all of them." - WIRE SERVICES

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