An overview of Pep Guardiola’s Friday press conference in front of Manchester City vs. Arsenal in the Premier League
As Manchester City returns from the international break, Pep Guardiola spoke to reporters for the first time in two weeks.
There was plenty to talk about before the Blues’ much-anticipated Premier League match against Arsenal on Sunday—two of the teams vying for the championship—brought them back to life. During the international window, City suffered several injuries, and the club faced criticism from supporters for hiking season ticket costs.
During his press conference on Friday, Guardiola was questioned on a variety of subjects. These are a few of the possible missed moments.
Call from Southgate
When John Stones was hurt while playing for his country during his formative years at Manchester City, Pep Guardiola nearly completely rewrote the meaning of the term “friendly.” “Before the international FRIENDLY games,” the manager emphasized, “John played 90 minutes, 90 minutes, 90 minutes and then another 90 minutes, 90 minutes and the body is the body.”
Anyone expecting something similar on Friday is going to be let down. The City manager declined to address Gareth Southgate’s choice to give a player who has suffered numerous injuries all season two starts in four days. It said enough that he refused to say anything at all.
How to manage a club
Hearing Guardiola praise his friend and former assistant Mikel Arteta wouldn’t have come as a surprise. The amount of credit the City manager bestowed upon Arsenal for establishing the conditions necessary for their success was an intriguing aspect of his response.
“Players and manager are the same. They have a lot of control over the game, and they get better every time,” he remarked.
“You always get better when your manager is the same and your ideas are consistent. It becomes more challenging if you switch managers and players.”
Guardiola’s longevity at City and its remarkable consistency can be largely attributed to the support he has received from his managers and the efficient management of the team, which frees him up to concentrate on his strengths. He brought up this point regarding United’s lack of success and gave Arsenal credit for their audacious support of a manager who was still a rookie.
Now let the festivities commence.
Guardiola was also questioned about the criticism Arsenal has received for their triumphant celebrations this season from a former Liverpool player. Naturally, after City has completed the difficult task of winning a football match, the manager could not give a damn about how anyone chooses to celebrate. Everyone will be watching on Sunday to see who can cheer the loudest by 6:30 p.m.
