Pep Guardiola played down worries over Aymeric Laporte’s absence after Norwich took complete benefit of defensive frailties to beat Manchester City 3-2 in Carrow Road.??
Without the wounded Laporte, who’s out until the new year following knee surgery, the City back-line were not up to scratch because the Canaries conducted out jolt winners, live on Saturday Night Football.
Before Sergio Aguero pulled a goal back on the stroke of half-time Aims from Todd Cantwell along with Kenny McLean had the newly-promoted side deservedly forward.
But, with Kevin De Bruyne surprisingly just named as a replacement, the much-anticipated comeback never materialised as Teemu Pukki added a third after dreadful defending from Nicolas Otamendi.
A late attack from Rodri was small consolation for the visitors, who suffered their first defeat of the season to give a five-point lead in the summit to Liverpool.
Otamendi and also john Stones just began three times but Guardiola dismissed suggestions his side now have a glaring weakness.
The Catalan told Sky Sports:“It is a partnership that has played a lot. We have got Fernandinho and Rodri who will play there in circumstances and it is not a concern. Things occur.
„We didn’t expect the injury and in over three decades collectively John and Nicolas have performed together, and thanks to those we have won.
„Laporte is wounded and Kompany is now in Anderlecht, and so we cannot just analyse it off one game. We will need to improve on this and hopefully we could do better.“
Having hauled the deficit back, Stones and Otamendi lived one mix-up as Pukki raced onto a ball, simply to skew his shot wide – however moments made amends.
Stones gathered the ball as the Argentinian dallied to the edge of the box and also Otamendi, lay Pukki’s sixth goal of the effort and Emiliano Buendia nipped in to steal ownership.
Guardiola slumped to his knees after the setback, however, bullishly included:“I understand that which we have been as a team, I know what we’ve done and that I know what we will do .
„I love my gamers, it is a joy and an honour to be with them, but it’s a challenge at the highest level. We cannot expect also to reach within 90 points and to win every time.
„We’re likely to have to recuperate, we head to Europe today, and then we will come back.
„We understood the caliber of Norwich and we’ve had a good deal of days to work on it. Conceding goals is a part of football, and in the long run we pushed a lot, but I have to congratulate Norwich.“
Jamie Redknapp told Sky Sports:“The Laporte absence is the story right now, make no mistake about it. I believed that in the summertime, after losing Vincent Kompany, they had to recruit.
„Matthijs De Ligt went to Juventus and he had the profile of what Town like to buy, Harry Maguire moved to Man Utd and it was odd for them because their recruitment is usually spot on.
„You can’t foresee an injury like Laporte’s when he is out for six weeks, but you have to be prepared for every eventuality. At the moment, it is looking as though it could cost them.“
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