• Champions League

City strikers 'sat on deckchairs'

Thomas Mueller insists Edin Dzeko and Sergio Aguero were bystanders at the Etihad © AP

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Thomas Mueller has likened Manchester City strikers Edin Dzeko and Sergio Aguero to two men "sat in their deckchairs" and insisted they would get nowhere near the Bayern Munich team.

Bayern's 3-1 win at the Etihad Stadium in their Champions League group meeting last week was hailed as the true arrival of Pep Guardiola's tenure as manager of the European champions, little more than 100 days into his reign.

A video clip of a typical sustained spell of possession from the visitors, sped up and dubbed with the Benny Hill soundtrack, has become an internet hit.

Aguero and Dzeko started up front for City but proved ineffectual as Bayern took a three-goal lead, although Alvaro Negredo came off the bench to pull a goal back late on.

But Mueller said he was astonished about City's approach that night, saying: "Manchester had two attackers who - and I exaggerate a bit - sat in their deckchairs on the halfway line when we were in possession.

"No attacker is allowed to do that at Bayern or the Germany team."

Guardiola played Mueller in a more central attacking role in that match. He scored Bayern's second goal of the evening, but also talked up the importance of his contribution without the ball.

"Through that [change of role] we wanted to gain superiority in midfield," Mueller said. "I am not the kind of player who waits to get the ball in one-on-one situations with the defender, but rather the guy that drops deep or tries to come through over the wing - and who also helps his team defensively."

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