Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has praised Southampton’s unique approach to defending, highlighting them as one of the top teams in the Premier League when it comes to “defending with the ball,” as per Eurosport.
Guardiola’s comments came after City’s 1-0 victory over Southampton at the Etihad Stadium, where Erling Haaland’s early goal was enough to secure all three points for the reigning champions.
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Pep Guardiola Praises Southampton Defenders
Reflecting on the match with BBC’s Match of the Day, Pep Guardiola acknowledged the tough challenge Southampton posed.
He noted that Southampton didn’t merely sit back and absorb pressure; instead, they tried to maintain possession as a way to defend and control the tempo of the game.
According to Guardiola, this approach made the Saints one of the most challenging teams in the league to break down.
“The way they played, they are so demanding. They defend with the ball,” he said. “You can defend with the ball and they are really good at it, one of the best in the Premier League.”
While City managed to create a number of chances, Guardiola admitted frustration that his team couldn’t capitalize further and extend their lead.
“They didn’t create many chances, but we created a lot. Unfortunately, we couldn’t score the second goal. Big credit to them – it wasn’t because we were sloppy or flat. We just have to accept that.”
