Manchester City fullback Aleksander Kolarov confesses they've struggled to handle the weight of being defending champions.

City go to Manchester United tonight 15 points behind the league leaders.

"It's hard to defend a title because everyone wants to beat you," Kolarov told City's website.

"But we have to play with this pressure like Manchester United over the past 20 years - this is good that we have this kind of pressure, it is better as you are always concentrating.

"I think in the end this will make us stronger."