Lahm urges Bayern to stick to their guns

FC Bayern München are without a victory in three games in all competitions – their longest barren run in more than three years – but captain Philipp Lahm insists they will stick to their tried and tested formula against Manchester United FC on Wednesday.

Bayern's 53-match Bundesliga unbeaten sequence, stretching back to October 2012, ended with a 1-0 loss at FC Augsburg on Saturday, the first time in 65 league games – and 60 fixtures in all competitions – they had not found the net. That came on the back of draws against United (1-1) and TSG 1899 Hoffenheim (3-3). Lahm, though, is in no mood to panic ahead of the Bavarian outfit's UEFA Champions League quarter-final second leg.

"We've got to do what we always do; we have to make the most of our possession," said versatile full-back Lahm. "[United] are very good on the counterattack [but] tomorrow we want to play our game, have the ball and score goals.

"Manchester United are world class, with great history and big, experienced players. We have to play good football, in attack and in defence. We did not give them many chances in Manchester and we have to play like that again. It was difficult for us in Manchester, but we worked well as a team in defence."

Bayern coach Josep Guardiola faces a selection headache in central midfield, with Thiago Alcántara out injured and both Bastian Schweinsteiger and Javi Martínez suspended. Though wrapping up the Bundesliga title with seven matches to spare has enabled Guardiola to rotate in advance of this game, Lahm is adamant he and his team-mates have not lost any sharpness.

"It is unusual these days for us not to win for three games," said the 30-year-old German international. "[Despite rotation] most of us are still playing at least once a week so we won't lose our rhythm." Bayern cannot afford to lose their footing on Wednesday.