Update: |Pep Guardiola wants his Man City stars to ‘move less’ after Manchester United draw News

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola wants his players to move less if they are to become more of an attacking threat this season

Pep Guardiola says Manchester City need to ‘move less’ after another frustrating afternoon in front of goal. The Blues were without lead striker Erling Haaland at Old Trafford, and the Norwegian will miss most of the remaining games in this campaign after suffering an injury at Bournemouth last week in the FA Cup.

Omar Marmoush will take his place and scored in the 2-0 win over Leicester on Wednesday, although City struggled to create any meaningful opportunities at Old Trafford. United had the better chances in a 0-0 draw that does City few favours in their quest for a top four finish to get Champions League football next season.

Guardiola believes that the answer is positional, wanting his players to take up better positions to allow them to have a better tempo in attack. While they have been accused of being overrun this season several times, the coach wants less running to make City more efficient and more effective.

“We tried to practice one concept to hurt them. We played many times over many years against teams who defend 4-5-1, lose the ball, and run,” he said.

“We knew that they make high pressing and after that they are are able to defend so deep. It has always been since I arrived here nine years ago.

“Ruben wants to try to impose from [Andre] Onana but we defended really well. The home game when we lost 1-2 was completely different, they made better process than they have done today, but this was more for the fact you have to play one tempo and be in the position and after accelerate the game.

“We could not accelerate because we were not in the right position and that’s why today we missed a little bit our tempo to create more chances. Phil had one clear, two or three shots from Kevin and one from Omar. They had their chances but I think it’s fair enough. One point and we move forward.

“We should attack with more fluidity. We missed it because people say we have to move more. No. We have to move less.”

City’s manager also believes that they have struggled from an ‘incredible’ drop across the squad this season. Guardiola was asked about the confidence of Phil Foden but moved the conversation onto the whole team.

“When the team is not playing at the level that we had, it looks like everyone is not what they were. There are no doubts about Phil,” he said. “I see the passion and smile on his face every day in training and that is what I want.

“He has not had that impact but not just Phil – if you see the numbers of many players who have been four, five, six years in terms of goals and assists this year we drop incredible and it’s all of them – not one.

“One would be easy but it’s all of them. That’s why we are struggling to create and win games but the quality is there.

“Sometimes in long careers always you have seasons where you are not. Maybe last season was the peak in terms of (Foden) being the best player in the Premier League. He won the Premier League in the last games, in the game against West Ham with two goals.

“His impact was incredible and he will be back. He fought, he had chances, he shot in the first half and chances that normally the ball is in the net.

“It happens but now is not to judge. We are where we are, we knew it.

“FA Cup semi-finals, eight games left and everyone is going to give everything. I’m learning from the guys who played every single game, the guys who came from the bench, how they impacted, and this kind of stuff for future decisions. This is what we’re going to do.”