Saturday's 3-3 draw at Craven Cottage saw City more than double their tally of league goals conceded this season, and a backline which has previously appeared one of the Barclays Premier League's most solid units was at times run ragged.

Ironically, only last week the Swede had called on his team to push for more goals after scoring just five times in six games, but he could hardly have anticipated that the payback for his side finding their shooting boots would be defensive meltdown.

For a manager famed for his conservatism the display must have come as quite a shock, but Eriksson is adamant he will not be moved to change his system and is sure it is only a matter of time before his players find the right blend of attack and defence.

"We have to get both right at the same time, we want to be a good Premier League club," he said.

"I am a little bit disappointed. I am not worried, concerned or sleepless.

"I know that we are a new team and a gelling team, and probably we must count on doing some mistakes. But it's much more positive than negative things in the games we've played."

He added: "We will stick to the system because we are doing rather well and I can't see any reasons why we should change that. The type and style of play will be the same.

"We play good football, in almost all the games we play good football. In many games we created a lot of occasions but haven't scored many goals.

"This time we created and scored, but you are never completely happy because we conceded goals a little bit more easily than we did in the past.

"But 3-3, as a show, is better than 0-0."

Eriksson would be forgiven for being relieved that City's next opponents are Coca-Cola Championship strugglers Norwich, who are currently sitting fifth from bottom in their division after one win in six.

The Canaries are unlikely to pose a potent threat to Eriksson's defence in their Carling Cup visit to Eastlands tomorrow night with under-pressure manager Peter Grant favouring a lone striker - a conservatism reflected by the single goal they have scored in their last three games.

The former England coach has vowed to ring the changes for the match, with striker Rolando Bianchi, midfielder Geovanni and goalkeeper Joe Hart all set to start after spending most of the season on the bench.

But although he intends to use the game to blood youngsters and fringe players, Eriksson insists he will treat Norwich with the utmost respect in order to keep alive his team's bid for glory - and with it the European football he craves.

"Cup games are always special because it is dead or alive - that is what makes it interesting. I have won much more cups in my career than championships," he said.

"It's always good for football when a team from a lower division meets a Premier League club. It's the same in Italy, you think you should beat them easily but it is never easy. You have to fight because you know they will fight.

"The dream should be to play in Europe next season - that would be almost too good to be true.

"But we will try, of course we want to try."

He added: "How many Premier League clubs went out in the last round? Two or three?

"It will be the same this time and I hope we are not one of them."