City's Aguero understands why Guardiola dropped him

Sergio Aguero had no issue with Pep Guardiola dropping him to Manchester City's bench three weeks ago, confirming he "wasn't well" after returning from the last international break.

Aguero was dealing with a calf injury when he arrived back in Manchester following Argentina's 1-0 loss to Paraguay in October. He then took a seat on the bench for clashes against Everton and Barcelona, which threw his future at City in doubt.

Guardiola tamed rumours of an exit after City was trounced 4-0 at Camp Nou, and now Aguero has revealed the decision to drop him may not have been tactical after all.

"I arrived at Manchester and I wasn't well so I didn't start against Everton. Pep and I talked about it, that when come with something in your head, it influences you in the game," Aguero told newspaper Ole, via Manchester Evening News.

Penalty taking has also become a problem for the former Atletico Madrid poacher, who's missed four spot kicks this season, for club and country.

However, Guardiola wouldn't strip Aguero from those duties at City, and the player said he wouldn't shy away from them, with the club or with Argentina.

"No, if I have to take it, I'm going to take it," Aguero said. "Now Leo (Messi) is with us (Argentina). But if it's my turn to do so, I will face it. If I didn't do it out of fear, I'd be a coward."

Messi usually commands penalties on Argentina duty, but his own record is startling - the 29-year-old missed four times from 12 yards over the 2015-16 campaign.