Pellegrini backs under-fire Man City defence: 'We have not defended badly'

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Pellegrini backs under-fire Man City defence: 'We have not defended badly' -  Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini admits his backline has been guilty of a lack of concentratation in recent weeks, but insists the overall defending is nothing to be concerned about.

The City rearguard has come under fire on a number of occasions this season - more often than not when captain Vincent Kompany has been out of the team through injury - and Saturday's 2-2 draw at West Ham drew more ire from fans after the Hammers scored their second goal from a quickly taken throw-in.

Pellegrini says he was not happy with the way his men were caught out on that occasion, but insists that Slaven Bilic's side did not create too many other opportunities and that, across the season, City have been one of the better defences in terms of goals conceded.

"Maybe, maybe we are conceding some goals where we have to be more concentrated," the manager said ahead of Wednesday's League Cup semi-final against Everton. "I don't think that we are defending bad. I think that we are the third or fourth [best] defence in the Premier League.

"If you see the last game, the first goal was unlucky, a rebound, and the second goal maybe I was not very happy with the way we conceded that goal but if you review the whole game I think the only save that Joe Hart had to do was a free kick. We defended against important players that attack very well, we defended very well also.

"But I think we need to be more concentrated at some balls because, especially playing away, we are conceding goals."

City have won more games on home soil than any other team in the Premier League - nine - but have just four away victories to their name, the lowest in the top seven.