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MANCHESTER -- Pep Guardiola says his players didn't know whether to attack or defend their lead as Manchester City held on for a 2-1 win against Leicester City, and praised referee Bobby Madley for ruling out Riyad Mahrez's penalty. City secured a crucial three points in their bid to qualify for next season's Champions League and moved up to third in the Premier League. They looked comfortable after David Silva's goal and a Gabriel Jesus penalty put them 2-0 ahead but they were left hanging on for a win when Shinji Okazaki pulled a goal back with a spectacular strike just before half-time. "The first goal from Leicester, [Nicolas] Otamendi slipped and [Riyad] Mahrez took advantage. We'll have to check the boots for Tuesday," Guardiola told a news conference. "We made a good performance in the first half and we scored our chances. We arrived at times to the byline but the last pass was not properly good and we missed the chances to almost the finish the game. "We conceded an exceptional goal from Okazaki. In the second half, we didn't know whether to attack or defend the result. You don't want to concede another goal and in that moment you're in the middle, not sure whether to attack or defend." Leicester thought they had equalised in the second half when Mahrez beat Willy Caballero from the penalty spot after the Algerian had been brought down by Gael Clichy. But Madley ruled out the decision because the winger kicked the ball against his standing foot and Guardiola said it was the correct decision. "In golf it is the same, it is the same rule, it was two touches!" Guardiola said. "The shot was a little bit strange and when I saw the reaction from Willy I understood immediately it was two touches and the referee was so brave to rule it out." City now need four points from the remaining games against West Bromwich Albion on Tuesday and Watford away on Sunday to be certain of a top-four finish although a win should be enough because of their superior goal difference. And Guardiola admitted he was relieved to have held on for the victory against the Foxes. "With the 10 minutes of extra time they defended quite good and now congratulations to the team," the City boss added. "One more game we are mathematically qualified for the Champions League and we go to London to Watford to try to finish third. We are trying to finish the two games good and get what the club deserves."
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