Tottenham team news hint and Phil Foden role change – Every word from part two of Pep Guardiola’s Southampton review | OneFootball

Pep Guardiola has suggested that Manchester City could significantly rotate during their Carabao Cup fourth round tie against Tottenham on Wednesday night.

The latest media address from the 53-year-old came as a single Erling Haaland goal ensured another three points in the Premier League, dismissing of a bold Southampton side at the Etihad Stadium in a narrow 1-0 victory.

Among the talking points responded to by the Manchester City manager were the ongoing rise of Matheus Nunes in the first-team picture, and a possible role change in the centre of the park for Phil Foden.

Speaking during the second-half of his review following the 1-0 win over Southampton on Saturday afternoon, here is every single word from Pep Guardiola’s press conference at the Etihad Stadium!

On whether Phil Foden can be used deeper in midfield

“No, when they defend deep, and so deep when it happened, dropping a little bit to get the ball in front of the halfway and use his incredible potential to shoot from the 18-yard box, we have to use it. So that’s for sure.

“I prefer Phil (Foden) close to Erling (Haaland) because his sense of goal is unique, but I have to admit when he drops and shoots, like for example the goal against West Ham to win the Premier League last season – this type of goals – or at the Bernabeu from the 18-yard box, I think he is a really, really good player and we can use it when the opponents defend so, so deep.”

On whether he is finding a different spirit in his side in games like against Southampton

“Always when I finish the game, giving credit to the opponents, of course the result is the first but I say, ‘OK we have done more than the opponents to win the game, we create more chances, we concede less? Yeah, so OK, well deserved’.

“And always I think what we have done to deserve to win, you know? Sometimes you win when you don’t deserve it, for example against Fulham, maybe we didn’t in certain moments, especially in the second-half.

“But I like to see the team like most of the times we deserve more than the opponents for the way we create and the other ones. And this is the main target from my point of view. But I’m not surprised when you play Champions League, Premier League, Champions League, and everything and Southampton was all week to prepare for that game, that these types of games if you don’t make the second or the third, always it’s tough. It’s difficult.

“And we accept that challenge. It could not be differently I would say, so it’s difficult. Look at Wolves, how good they can play and look at now Southampton, they’re at the bottom of the league and my god, if these teams are at the bottom of the league, what do you do against the other ones?! So this is my feeling.”

On Matheus Nunes’ work behind-the-scenes

“No! It’s minutes, I gave him minutes that he didn’t get maybe in the past. It’s the big difference. One goal and three assists in two games, and his backwards (work) and he helps Kova (Mateo Kovacic) and Bernardo (Silva) in that position because he has incredible pace in the transitions. But it’s not easy to find him in transitions because they defend in the 18-yard box and the space is minor. But they found the right way to do it.”

On four consecutive away games and whether that affects his team selection

“Yeah, we talked about that and we have to take care of ourselves, go to sleep, drink, good food, sleep a lot, training and recovery. Who we are is who we are! I would love to have everyone, it’s not the position, we are few, few people – OK!

“We are going to do what we have to do, I don’t know even, and I’m going to think against Spurs maybe some players from the Academy, I don’t know. We will see tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, fortunately we have four days and not three and of course we are going to go there to compete, but the main target is Bournemouth and Sporting de Lisboa and Brighton before the international break – this is the main…

“We are not going to take a decision… If the players are fine, they are going to play against Spurs but if they have doubts, I’m not going to take a risk against Spurs, that’s for sure.”