Pep Guardiola pleased with recent improvement in Manchester City's defence

Pep Guardiola is pleased with the improvement in Manchester City's defence

Pep Guardiola says he is happy with the recent improvement in his Manchester City defence but insists there is still work to be done.

City have conceded just three goals in six games since their 4-2 loss at Leicester a month ago where they found themselves 3-0 down after just 20 minutes.

The Spaniard says the best way to defend is to continue to control possession but insists his team conceded goals without necessarily giving opposing sides a lot of chances.

"Sometimes when you make these kind of statements, when you say we are better, you arrive the next day and you concede four goals," he said.

"From my point of view, I think we conceded a lot of goals but we conceded few chances. I'm happy for that but we have to work more on our game.

John Stones scored his first Manchester City goal against West Ham

"The only way to have success in this year is to play more with the ball. It's not easy here but we have to insist that is the only way.

"But, yes, of course, we are happy we have conceded few goals."

Manchester City have conceded just three goals in six games

Guardiola has been linked with a move for one of his former players in Bayern Munich's Holger Badstuber, and the 45-year-old recently hinted that defensive reinforcements could be made in January.

"If we need something, maybe it's at the back, central defenders or full-back," he said.

Holger Badstuber played for Guardiola at Bayern Munich

"We are evaluating if there's a chance to take one [defender]. I know Holger, he's a fantastic player, a fantastic guy, but he's a Bayern Munich player, and we should first of all speak with them and with him."

City will also hope to welcome captain Vincent Kompany back in the near future. The Belgian has been out since November with a knee injury - the latest in a long line of problems - but is now back in training.