I must care for my players like a parent says Pep Guardiola | OneFootball

Pep Guardiola says his duty as Manchester City manager goes beyond tactics and results, insisting he must “take care” of his squad as a parent would amid a relentless fixture schedule.

City’s 1-1 draw at Arsenal on Sunday capped a demanding week in which they also defeated Manchester United and Napoli. Now, with a growing injury list, Guardiola prepares to lead his side into a Carabao Cup tie at League One Huddersfield Town on Wednesday.

“First comes the spirit we have shown this week, and you have to take care of this like a father and mother takes care of their sons,” Guardiola told BBC Sport. “We can be a stable team and, step by step, when injured players come back, we will learn what we can do better.”

City will be without striker Erling Haaland, who was withdrawn at the Emirates with a back issue, although Guardiola remains optimistic he will return against Burnley on Saturday. Abdukodir Khusanov, Rayan Cherki, and Omar Marmoush are sidelined, while doubts persist over Rayan Aït-Nouri’s availability.

Despite last season’s struggles, when City failed to claim major silverware, Guardiola believes recent performances have restored key traits. He praised his team’s resilience in north London, even as his tactical switch to a defensive 5-5-0 and a record-low 33% possession raised eyebrows.

“I’m really proud,” he said. “We recovered many things that defined our team. I want to celebrate that point against Arsenal, a big contender.”

GFN | Finn Entwistle