Pep won't tackle tactics

MANCHESTER City boss Pep Guardiola admitted his side do not work on tackling after watching them slip to defeat at Leicester.

City have won just four of their last 15 games - after winning their first 10 under Guardiola - following a 4-2 defeat at the King Power Stadium on Saturday.

Jamie Vardy's hat-trick secured the Foxes their first Premier League win since October as the defending champions moved four points clear of the relegation zone.

City, who have kept just two clean sheets in 15 league games this season, were 2-0 down after just five minutes and failed to win a tackle in the first 35 minutes.

But Guardiola remained defiant over his philosophy despite City's wobbles continuing.

'DUELS'

He said: "It's typical here in England when they (talk) a lot about the tackles. I'm not a coach for the tackles. So I don't train the tackles. What I want is to try to play good, score goals, arrive more.

"What's tackles? Yeah, you have to win the duels, that's true, but normally when you play good you win a lot of tackles. But after four minutes, 2-0, in the mind of the players they say, 'Wow, what happened?', it's not easy for them.

"Yeah, it's another aspect of football, but we're not going to win or lose (because of) the tackles."

Vardy and Andy King scored inside five minutes before Vardy made it 3-0 before half-time and completed his hat-trick following a John Stones mistake.

Aleksandar Kolarov and Nolito pulled goals back in the final 10 minutes but Vardy's goals - ending a 16-game drought - won the game for Leicester.

Vardy was rested for Leicester's 5-0 Champions League defeat in Porto after manager Claudio Ranieri made 10 changes and the Italian was never concerned about the striker's barren spell.

"Jamie played so well, it is important for him to get back.

"Never did he tell me, 'I need to score'. Never, but I know the goalscorer needs to score goals," said Ranieri.

'IMPORTANT'

"I said to all my players it is important what we do for the team, and everybody made a fantastic performance.

"It was fantastic to see. I don't know if he (Vardy) can go on a run. I hope so - if he scores, we get the points."