PEP GUARDIOLA has named five Premier League teams who attack when they play Manchester City but snubs rivals Manchester United.
The Spaniard named Liverpool as the first side that isn’t scared to go toe-to-toe with his title-winning side.
Liverpool’s out-going, fearless approach when it comes to playing City isn’t seen across the whole league though.
City took on Everton on Saturday and came away with a narrow 1-0 win after spending 90 minutes trying to break the Toffees down.
Guardiola says most of the league adopt the approach of sitting in and making it difficult for his side.
He singled out five teams who give it a go against the defending Prem champions but SNUBBED rivals Man Utd.
Guardiola said: “Yeah [sitting deeper]. Maybe we provoke them but most of them except Liverpool I would say, Brighton I would say, Arsenal in some moments I would say … let me think about it, maybe I’m forgetting someone.
“Aston Villa, we played there a little bit too. There are moments when they did it.
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“But as a principle, when we make a good build-up, they sit.
“Leeds, as well. The rest, they sit back. But, honestly, I’m not saying nothing wrong. Every manager, every team can do whatever they want, absolutely.
“It’s in our hands how to break them — teams that are high pressing, how to do it, and when teams sit back, how we have to do it.
“And one of the principles is be patient, don’t concede goals, don’t concede deep runs from them, counter attacks and be patient and in the right moment we can do it. Let’s continue doing it like this.”
Man City have 11 games left to defend their league title but Guardiola is expecting most games to be won by the thinest of margins.
He said: “Every game will be similar like we lived (at Everton).
“For sure. It’s finished the games with big margins of goals.
“Everyone is playing for Europa League, for the Champions League, to be champion, every game will be a battle so we have spoken about that.
“It’s not the first time we’ve been in this situation and we have learned from that in the past.
“That if you want to be champion in the Premier League, against this rival — Liverpool, they are not going to drop points — you have to do your job.
“In nearly all the games. We felt it in the past and we have to do it this year. So it’s not an exception.
“That’s why I give all incredible credit (to the players) after three Premier Leagues in the last four years we could be more naive or more arrogant in our behaviours and it’s completely the opposite.
“So still we have the humility to go here and everywhere to try and do our game, to respect the opponents a lot and try to win the games.
“This is the best prize and the best achievement, as a manager and a staff, to inoculate in the hearts and the minds of the players that it doesn’t matter what happens, you have to try to do it again and again and again.
“I don’t know how it’s going to finish but we are going to try. Now FA Cup (vs Peterborough on Tuesday), derby, Champions League, Crystal Palace.
“Every game will be an incredible tough battle and you have to face every game knowing if we drop points it will be difficult to be champion.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
