Clinical City the key for Clichy

After draws against Middlesbrough, Southampton and Everton in the last month, Manchester City defender Gael Clichy claims his side have to be more clinical, and turn draws into demolitions.

The Citizens began their season with ten straight wins in all competitions, but have stumbled since the 3-3 Champions League draw with Celtic at the end of September.

Draws with Everton and Southampton, as well as the Celtic result, were the fruits of fighting from behind, but Saturday’s dropped points to Boro were courtesy of conceding an injury-time equaliser.

And Clichy, who has appeared 12 times in all competitions under Pep Guardiola this season, wants to see his side kill games off and re-establish a lead atop the Premier League.

“It’s just the way some matches go when you have chances to score and don’t take them,” said the defender.

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“At 1-0 you are susceptible to a set-piece, penalty or any kind of mistake so I think we just need to learn how to kill the game when necessary because against Middlesbrough it was a bad goal to concede, especially so late in the game and we need to do better.

“We’ve dropped two more points at home but we should remember that this is not the end of the world, the season has really only just started and there are many games still to play.

“We have so much quality within our squad and for sure, when we start being more ruthless as a team then we can kick on again.”