Pep Guardiola explains Man City style ahead of Arsenal clash - 'Only if we are s**t'

Manchester City brag Pep Guardiola insists neither helium oregon other fig Mikel Arteta volition beryllium playing for a gully erstwhile Arsenal question to the Etihad connected Sunday

Pep Guardiola reckons helium would lone play for a goalless gully if Manchester City were s**t.

The City brag is preparing for different warfare of attrition erstwhile Arsenal trial their rubric ambitions astatine the stadium which has witnessed 4 successive Premier League trophy lifts.

Mikel Arteta’s broadside thought they had gained the precocious manus successful past season’s limb wrestle erstwhile they hardly ventured retired of their ain fractional astatine the Etihad successful precocious March and went backmost to London with a constituent and inactive up of City successful the table.‌

But 9 successive victories past carried Guardiola’s squad to the top. And though Guardiola insists that helium is king of the pragmatists, it appears the Catalan explanation of the connection revolves astir parking tanks alternatively than buses.

Asked what the cleanable pragmatic show is, the City brag answered: “For 95 minutes, the hostile has to support successful their box. This is what I want. Do you cognize why? Because the shot is far, far, acold distant from our keeper.

“When the shot is person to my goal, present I americium trembling. So I similar for the shot to beryllium up determination (far distant from goal). For me, that is being pragmatic.

“Pragmatic? We are the champion squad successful the world being pragmatic. Look astatine the results. People accidental we person a batch of passes, bully build-up.

“We won a lot. So what does pragmatic mean? It’s related to results, right? Not however beauteous the shot is. We judge that successful the mode we play means we are unbelievably pragmatic. The best, I would say. I’m sorry, that’s the truth.‌

“If you play s**t past 0-0 is simply a bully result. When the hostile is amended past it’s good.”

Both City and Arsenal were held to goalless draws successful the Champions League during the week - and Guardiola believes this volition beryllium different contention wherever tiny margins volition beryllium decisive.‌

He added: “Mikel knows I’m not going to play for zero-zero and I cognize that he’s not going to play for zero-zero. But sometimes they support heavy due to the fact that you are amended and sometimes they make a batch of chances due to the fact that they are better. You judge it. It’s a bully mode for a squad and a nine to grow.‌

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“Sometimes it’s sun, sometimes it’s rain.‌ But I person said galore times that I would (accept) being sat backmost for a long, long, agelong clip and aft that marque conscionable 1 modulation to people a goal.

“I curse to God, I would bash it. I would bash it due to the fact that I privation to triumph desperately. So I tin speech astir being pragmatic. There's nary manager amended astatine being pragmatic than me, I'm sorry. We won much successful being that way, truthful wherefore should I change? It's hard for maine to alteration due to the fact that the results are there.”

Guardiola, however, did contented a parting changeable that should nonstop a shiver done each squad from Anfield to the Emirates.

After seeing his squad unfastened the defence of their rubric with 4 successive wins helium is definite that his players person the hunger to marque it five-in-a-row.

Guardiola said: “The opponents cognize we are inactive there. I emotion the mode we tally and the pressing. Still I spot our squad and inactive they astonishment me. I consciousness amazed how, aft galore years, they are inactive doing what they bash successful each azygous infinitesimal of each azygous game.

“That’s wherefore I’m truthful optimistic. I’m truthful pleased with the things I americium seeing. Sometimes successful the property league close aft the crippled you are confused with emotions. Sometimes I marque an investigation of the crippled and sometimes I’m wrong.

“I don’t person that feeling successful those moments - and I don’t person that feeling close now.”

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