PEP GUARDIOLA was visibly concerned about his upcoming appearance on an artificial pitch.

Despite a comfortable win in Switzerland, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola will be concerned ahead of the Manchester derby at Old Trafford on Sunday.

City scored three goals despite not playing particularly well.

Erling Haaland plants his superb second goal to seal victory

Haaland celebrates his latest double but the goal machine had gone five Champions League games without netting

Manuel Akanji arrived perfectly for the Man City breakthrough

Erling Haaland had not scored in five Champions League games, but he struck twice in the first 17 minutes to calm the worries.

Until he scored, the scores were 1-1, and City, as they have done oftentimes this season, were making life difficult for themselves.

As their manager admits, they still haven’t recovered from their treble-winning hangover, and this was again another piece of evidence.

Manuel Akanji scored his second goal for the club early in the second half, and in prior seasons, City would completely destroy the opposition.

Guardiola’s team, however, were caught off guard as Meschack Elia leveled with a brilliant lob.

But this is City all over the place right now. They’re still playing well and creating plenty of opportunities, but they’re committing too many stupid mistakes.

And it is precisely because City are plainly not their regular selves that the Premier League title fight could be very different from last season.

With United buzzing off their thrilling win over FC Copenhagen on Tuesday, Sunday’s derby will be a tremendous challenge.

Guardiola did get one point for a much-improved performance from Jack Grealish.

Haaland put City back in front with his first goal – from the spot

Meschack Elia lobbed a brilliant but temporary leveller for Young Boys

He’s struggled since missing a month with a dead leg, but this was without a doubt his finest run-out of the season.

He was at the heart of everything, especially in the first half, and the home crowd began jeering him after realizing he was City’s most effective player.

He produced a good chance for Jeremy Doku by making a tough ball appear easy, but he hit an embarrassingly poor shot at goalie Anthony Racioppi.

Doku’s head was in his hands as the 1,800 traveling City fans expected him to bury the ball into the corner.

Grealish set up Haaland for another good chance, but his acrobatic effort bounced across the plastic surface and into Racioppi’s thankful arms.

Racioppi then spilled Grealish’s shot, which ricocheted off Nunes and was cleared off the line by Loris Benito.

Guardiola was becoming agitated on the sidelines. Mateo Kovacic’s sloppy pass triggered a Young Boys attack, giving Cedric Itten a clear run on goal, but his feeble effort failed to faze Ederson.

City deserved to be ahead on the balance of play, and Swiss international Akanji, back on home turf, scored only his second goal for the club.

Racioppi pushed Kovacic’s header onto the bar, but Akanji reacted quickest and stretched out a leg.

Following a Haaland effort, Young Boys countered quickly, with Cheikh Niasse firing a long pass to Congolese international Elia. With Ederson rushing towards the end of the area, Elia attempted the riskiest of lobs, and the ball appeared to take an eternity before going into the net, much to the joy of the boisterous crowd at the Wankdorf Stadium.

City had to defend for a while until Rodri was fouled by Camara – an easy penalty, but Haaland was never going to miss from there.

Substitute Alvarez believed he had made it 3-1, but VAR called a foul on Grealish. Morten Krogh, the Danish referee, was summoned to the screen and agreed that there was a foul.

However, City eventually stepped up and dashed any Young Boys aspirations of stealing a point. Haaland curled a fantastic goal into the top corner with his right foot.

And against their opponents this Saturday, City will need Haaland and Grealish to be at their best.