'Long ball, long ball, long ball' - Guardiola digs out Man Utd as he explains City approach

Pep Guardiola has aimed a dig at Manchester United's use of long balls as he set out to explain what he wants to see from his City side.

Guardiola takes City to the Hawthorns for Saturday's game against West Brom in the midst of the worst run of his managerial career.

City have not won in six games - which is also the club's worst spell in eight years - and Guardiola is expecting a rough ride from Tony Pulis's men.

The Blues lost 1-0 at Old Trafford in the EFL Cup in midweek, and it was put to Guardiola that his team struggled to play their way around United's pressing, which may be also be an issue against the Baggies.

But Guardiola took exception, insisting his side do have ways to play directly, but that while Jose Mourinho's side may have won thanks to an aerial bombardment, he will never take such an approach.

"The goal for United it was long ball, long ball, long ball, long ball, lose the ball in the duels, score the goal," he said. 

"So sometimes you concede a goal because you have to build up and after like this. And sometimes you use the long balls you concede a goal as well."

Guardiola went on, explaining that his side will use direct passes - rather than aimless hoofs - to get around the opponents' high pressing due to the small stature of his attacking players.

Although he did say that if his approach does not work, he will be unable to manage in the Premier League.

"The strikers that we have when you have to use long balls, with Kelechi, Kun Aguero, it's not a good solution for me, so maybe in the future we're going to buy a striker who is 220 centimetres and after maybe we are going to use long balls.

"But the strikers we have you have to use it because when the opponent comes [to press] you have to use that pass, more direct but not long ball because they are not going to win one [duel].

"We don't have strikers strong enough to play in that way. So we have to create the space to pass the ball - not to use the long ball because I don't want to play [them]. 

"I am a big fan of brave players, courage players to have personality to play wherever - home, away, big clubs, small clubs, big pitches, small pitches.

"So we have to try it. If not, ok. I will not be able to train here in England."