Gareth Barry wants Manchester City to recover from an inconsistent start to the season and highlighted their need to improve defensively, The Oldham Evening Chronicle reports.

The Premier League champions are currently fourth in the table, two points behind early-leaders Chelsea, but what will be more worrying for City is the fact they have conceded six goals in their opening four matches.

It is a far cry from last season, when City made a blistering start to the campaign and beat teams at ease.

Their two victories so far in this campaign over Southampton and QPR were hardly convincing and they threw away a 2-1 lead against Real Madrid to lose 3-2 in their opening Champions League game on Tuesday.

Barry said: "It has not been an ideal start to the season. We finished last season with a great defensive record. This time we are scoring a lot of goals, but conceding at the same time.”

City host Arsenal at the Etihad on Sunday and they will be keen to find their best form against a Gunners defence which has been breached just once so far this season.