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Manchester City go into their game against Wolves on Saturday with six points out of six and the best goal tally in the Premier League table, yet Pep Guardiola claims his league leaders are still some way from operating at maximum efficiency.

“We are not fully fit yet, we are not far away but we still need more time to regenerate,” the City manager said. “We didn’t do a pre-season, then we played the Community Shield after a few days. We tried to send a lot of messages about strength and tactics this week because we are not in the best condition. Players are complaining about muscular problems – that’s why Claudio [Bravo] is out and Kevin [De Bruyne] before.

Fernandinho had big problems after the last game. Hopefully after the international break we’ll be better.”

With De Bruyne out for three months with a knee injury Guardiola lost his No 2 goalkeeper for a similar period when Bravo ruptured an achilles tendon in training, forcing the club to recall 19-year-old Aro Muric from loan at NAC Breda. “We know Aro, he trained with us all last year,” Guardiola said. “Aro will be our second-choice goalkeeper after Ederson, Grimmy [20-year-old Daniel Grimshaw] our third. Aro has an amazing potential as a goalkeeper, he’s got a great work ethic, he’s huge [6ft 5in] and he’s so young. We knew the second team here would not give him proper competition, that’s why we sent him to Holland to play the big teams. Maybe here he will be able to play in some of the cup matches. We trust him, no doubt about that.”

City played Wolves in the Carabao Cup last season, when the then Championship side held them scoreless before going out on penalties.

Guardiola was impressed. “Wolves destroyed the Championship last season,” he said. “It was incredible the way they won it, playing in that attractive way. We know how tough it will be at their ground after last season and we want to be humble, to give our opponents every respect.”