Ahead of the City clash against Manchester United on Sunday (5.30pm), City coach Pep Guardiola had a tip for two of his players – and named one condition under which he would gladly lose the derby.
He’s not so bad, that Lionel Messi. Thus the wink-wink understatement from Pep Guardiola. “My advice is to keep looking at him,” Manchester City’s coach directed at Jack Grealish and Phil Foden. By his own admission, record signing Grealish was said to have watched a highlight video of the mercurial Argentine with team-mate Phil Foden before City’s recent 2-0 cup win over Peterborough.
While not facing Messi, Guardiola and co. will meet his counterpart, the other part of the eternal “GOAT” debate, on Sunday: Cristiano Ronaldo. In the Manchester derby between City and United, many eyes are likely to be on the Portuguese again – who has also been heavily criticised recently. Guardiola has simple explanations for both. “He was one of the greatest of the last 15 years alongside Messi. We won’t see again what these guys have achieved.” At the same time, however, critical voices are directly louder because of this, according to the Skyblues coach.
Guardiola’s surprising tactics – Ruben Dias missing
The Spanish coach was almost as effusive as usual in his praise of the upcoming opponents from the red part of Manchester, even though the current standings paint a different picture. A whopping 19 points separate league leaders City from rivals United. And yet Guardiola even announced that he would stand deep at the start and “play counter-attacking football for 90 minutes”. A deceptive manoeuvre or the tactical approach after all? Although the Citizens won the first leg 2-0 at Old Trafford, the Skyblues have lost four of their last five derbies at home.
“We were punished on the counter-attacks, that’s their strength. That’s where they are unstoppable,” the 51-year-old summed up. But Guardiola is missing a defensive cornerstone if he is to be able to stop Man United’s counterattacks profitably on Sunday. In addition to Nathan Aké, centre-back Ruben Dias will also miss the derby due to a thigh injury he suffered in the cup match. “It is what it is,” said the coach. “I’m not going to cry.”
As Aymeric Laporte and John Stones are adequate alternatives ready to decide the city duel in their favour. Except … “I know how important the derby is for the fans, but we are not playing to win the derby. We play to win the Premier League,” Guardiola clarified. “To lose on Sunday and win the Premier League: I would sign that immediately.”
But with a win against Manchester United, the Spaniard can still move decisively closer to a fourth championship in five years with his Citizens. Performances from Grealish and Foden à la Messi should help.
