Manchester Metropolis may need set a brand new document for victories on Sunday, scoring 4 within the course of, however Pep Guardiola scolded his gamers after a lacklustre show.
The Premier League champions turned the primary crew in historical past to win 34 top-flight video games over a calendar yr by cruising previous Newcastle United.
Regardless of the convenience with which they notched up an eighth consecutive win - going six factors away from third-placed Chelsea - their supervisor was left unimpressed with the collective efficiency.
The remarks underlined why Metropolis are so constantly sturdy below the Catalan as they hunt for a fourth league title in 5 years.
'It was an distinctive end result and never an excellent efficiency in any respect - particularly within the first half,' Guardiola stated. 'The best way we performed within the first half was one of many poorest of the season.
'The standard of the gamers made the distinction however that's not the way in which we need to play.
'After all, in this sort of sport whenever you're not so sensible or constant - you miss easy issues - you are taking the end result. What we missed had been the straightforward issues, not the difficult issues.'
Metropolis are within the envious place of having the ability to rating 4 targets away from residence and nonetheless consider that there are important areas of enchancment.
Guardiola appeared happy that it might serve to maintain his squad in verify on a day that he didn't name on both Phil Foden or Jack Grealish from the bench.
'It made me joyful for the truth that we is not going to be distracted for this brief run of victories,' he added. 'I realised there's a margin for us to turn into a greater crew. The primary half was harmful actually. Each participant was not fully centered.
'We're proud. We have damaged a document in the present day however I'm nonetheless conscious of the margin now we have to be higher. We're engaged on that.'
Guardiola has watched his crew eat up the objective distinction deficit with their two title rivals this week by scoring 11 occasions in two matches.
He claimed that the demolition jobs have 'solved the objective distinction downside' however Newcastle boss Eddie Howe was left counting the price of officiating for the second time in 4 days.
Howe was aghast by Martin Atkinson and VAR official Craig Pawson denying the hosts a first-half penalty when Ederson collided with Ryan Fraser at 2-0.
'I am not the kind of supervisor that appears for excuses or accountable the officers however it's one other clear second, an enormous second within the sport, that has gone in opposition to us,' Howe stated.
'I am shaking my head at it as a result of the goalkeeper is uncontrolled, he is wiped Ryan out. How VAR hasn't intervened or how they have not come to that call is a very unusual one.'
Howe can even be disgruntled at his crew's defending after miscommunication between goalkeeper Martin Dubravka and Ciaran Clark allowed Ruben Dias to go residence a calamitous fifth-minute opener.
'The person errors... it is one thing we have to handle and wish to take a look at in a short time,' he stated. 'Metropolis are the one crew on this planet the place you do not need to chase the sport as a result of they're so good with the ball.'
Guardiola added: 'We had been fortunate with the objective we scored firstly, the Newcastle defenders misunderstood and had been confused. The second objective was sensible from Joao [Cancelo].'
In the meantime, Metropolis had been once more with out proper again Kyle Walker, with Guardiola twice repeating that the England worldwide 'didn't really feel good'.
