Pep Guardiola confirms Rúben Dias injury ahead of Manchester derby | OneFootball

Pep Guardiola has been speaking to the media ahead of Sunday’s Manchester Derby.

Here’s what he has had to say …

On absentees

“Nathan (Aké) and Rúben (Dias) are not available for Sunday.

“Cole Palmer feels better, hopefully he can start training in the next few days.”

On losing Dias

“Four to six weeks.

“It happens during a season. One of our best players Kevin [De Bruyne] was out for eight or nine months. I’m not going to cry. We have two central defenders but it is what it is. People said we were lucky with covid but we have 15, 16 players in the last months. We will fight.”

On facing Ralf Rangnick

“Rangnick is a father of the pressing in these positions. You see with Liverpool and Southampton and Jesse Marsch with Leeds, a little bit with Tuchel. Top clubs, five or six teams are playing this way.

“Important ones like Liverpool, United, Chelsea, Southampton, Leeds. The work he did in Germany is brilliant, a proper school of football. He came here and you start to see some patterns of what he wants to do.

“The version since Ralf Rangnick means it is not necessary to think of Ole. They didn’t lose many times. They can run more than normal then it will be difficult. They are too good. Waiting for mistakes and if we are not in the right position, then after they are quicker.”

On if Man City have overtaken Man Utd

“I’d need an hour to say what Manchester City have done but I’m not there [at United] so I don’t know.

“Different managers, our success is not just with me. From Abu Dhabi, Ferran, Txiki. Step by step, we try to win games.”

“All the time Manchester United have been competitive. When we played the Champions League final versus Sir Alex, last year competing to be champions, always have a massive respect for their history, quality of players. Doesn’t matter what happens, a lot of respect.”

On recent derbies

“It’s a derby for our fans, we try to win the derby that helps us to win the Premier League. Nothing changes.

“We know how good our opponents are. You have to win most of your games. It’s not for the pleasure to win, win this game, previous seasons we lost.

“We won more there than here.

“In all the games we were there, a better strength and quality from United. With Rashford, Sancho, unstoppable and quicker. We defend deeper and counter.”

On the importance of the derby

“I’d sign right now to lose Sunday and win the Premier League.

“When we win 12, 14 games in a row it’s a new game and I don’t see what happened in the past. We finished as champions three times in four years, this is what counts. For fans it’s a special game of the history. I understand it.”

On Cristiano Ronaldo

“He has been one of the greatest of the last 15 years alongside Messi – what these guys have done, we won’t see again.

“When you do this you are under more scrutiny. He was too good and as a finisher he is exceptional. It was a joy to watch him these years.”