Pep Guardiola takes leaf out of Mikel Arteta's book with comments about 'problem' he's caused

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has overseen 4 consecutive Premier League triumphs but immoderate members of his squad mightiness not beryllium satisfied with their crippled time

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has blamed himself for Matheus Nunes' deficiency of minutes this season.

Nunes, a £53m signing from Wolves successful 2023, featured successful conscionable fractional of City's league games successful his archetypal twelvemonth astatine the club. He has been utilized sparingly this word too, not yet starting successful the league contempt team-mate Rodri suffering a season-ending injury, but it has been a antithetic communicative successful Europe.

After starting the 4-0 triumph astatine Slovan Bratislava astatine the commencement of October, the Portugal planetary got different 90-minute run-out connected Wednesday against Sparta Prague. He took afloat advantage, too, scoring erstwhile and adding 2 assists successful a 5-0 victory.

Guardiola mightiness person utilized his signing sparingly, but insisted Nunes isn't to blame. And his comments echoed those made by Arsenal counterpart Mikel Arteta astir Gabriel Martinelli earlier the Brazilian forced his mode into the starting XI.

“[He was] truly bully - erstwhile helium scored a goal, you tin spot however blessed his team-mates are, Guardiola said aft the midweek win. "He is incredibly beloved and helium is simply a beauteous guy.

“He has a circumstantial quality. In transitions, helium is arsenic accelerated arsenic Erling [Haaland]. When helium runs for 30-40 metres, nary 1 tin halt him. He has a peculiar prime that we don’t have. That’s wherefore we request him and helium tin play successful galore roles.

“The lone occupation helium has is one, his manager doesn’t springiness him the minutes helium deserves. He’s acceptable ever and helium tin assistance us. With the circumstances we person now, with 15 players positive goalkeepers available, it’s important to person him.”

Should Matheus Nunes commencement for Manchester City connected Saturday? Have your accidental successful the comments section

Guardiola's comments are reminiscent of those made by Arteta successful March 2021. Back then, Martinelli had endured a tally of games arsenic an unused sub oregon precocious instauration aft recovering from a genu injury, but is present an important subordinate astatine the Emirates Stadium.

"If thing it's my fault," Arteta said astatine the time. "He has done everything perfect, helium trains incredibly good each day, his cognition cannot beryllium immoderate better.

"He is disappointed helium is not playing more, obviously, and I person spoken to him, but helium needs to beryllium a small spot patient. He had immoderate minutes, helium had immoderate games arsenic good and it's existent the contention for the beforehand positions is precise pugnacious but helium needs to beryllium diligent and helium volition get his chance."

Martinelli was rewarded for that patience, racking up 100 league outings crossed the past 3 league campaigns. Nunes mightiness person a small longer to hold earlier helium tin station those kinds of numbers, but volition surely beryllium targeting Saturday's sojourn of Southampton for a archetypal league commencement of the season.

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