Ilkay Gundogan Says Manchester City 'Can't Concede Goals in Every Game'

Ilkay Gundogan has voiced his frustration over Manchester City's recent defensive struggles and warned that issues at the back could prevent the club from winning major trophies this season.

The midfielder spoke after scoring in City's 1-1 draw with Shakhtar Donetsk in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday. It marked the sixth game in a row in all competitions the Citizens have conceded.

Gundogan emphasised how serious the growing problem is, per Simon Bajkowski of the Manchester Evening News: "When you want to become a top team and fight in all the competitions, you are not allowed to concede goals in every game. Obviously with all the injuries we are having, all the changes in the squad, sometimes it's not easy but I think there is enough quality in our team, even with the injuries, to be able to play without conceding a goal."

The reference to City's injury list is telling since the Manchester club has had to deal with key absences in defensive areas. Most notably, centre-back Aymeric Laporte's aggression, timing and quality have been missed.

John Stones, makeshift left-back Oleksandr Zinchenko and goalkeeper Ederson have also missed time, while stand-ins like left-back Angelino have struggled in relief.

It has meant Pep Guardiola being forced to move players out of position in order to cope, with holding midfielder Fernandinho pressed into service as an auxiliary central defender.

The Brazilian has acquitted himself well in an unfamiliar position:

Even so, having Fernandinho man the fort at the back has created a frailty at the heart of midfield:

Ironically, the middle is often softest when Gundogan is deep in the engine room. The former Borussia Dortmund man can play in a withdrawn role, but his technique and eye for a pass are better suited to forward areas.

Gundogan doesn't have the same tenacity and ball-winning proficiency central to Fernandinho's game. Nor does fellow midfielder Rodri.

Signed from Atletico Madrid in the summer, Rodri is a playmaker miscast as a midfield anchor. It's not surprising the Spaniard echoes Gundogan's sentiments about City's vulnerability at the back, per Stuart Brennan of the Manchester Evening News: "It seems like it always happens the same. We have to check and fix these problems but the team is growing."

Rodri and Gundogan can lament the problems of those behind them, but a talent deficiency across a depleted back four isn't the only reason City continue to leak goals.

It also doesn't help a weakened unit is being exposed to extra pressure because the team is less adept at keeping possession than in recent seasons. Bossing the ball has been a City trademark under Guardiola, but opponents are starting to take on his players at their own game, the way Chelsea did despite losing 2-1 at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday:

City have so far managed to cope reasonably well with a faltering defence. The team has fallen off the pace somewhat in the Premier League title race, trailing leaders Liverpool by nine points.

However, the draw against Shakhtar was enough to send the Citizens through to the last 16 in Europe as winners of Group C. Things should improve once Zinchenko and Laporte return, with the former expected back in early December, while the latter is out until February.

Yet Gundogan's words will prove prophetic come May if City haven't found more consistent solutions in the meantime to plug the holes along the back.