Man City team news: “If they don’t accept, it will be their problem, not mine” – Pep Guardiola sends warning to City midfielders
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has issued a warning to the midfielders in his squad.
The Citizens possess an embarrassment of riches in midfield this season. Yaya Toure, Raheem Sterling, Leroy Sane and Bernardo Silva all started Saturday’s win over Brighton on the bench.
Guardiola has stated that his midfielders must accept squad rotation.
The Spanish tactician will have even more options at hand when Ilkay Gundogan returns from injury. The Germany international playmaker has been sidelined since last December due to a knee injury.
“If they are not a little bit generous and a little bit kind it will be difficult. There are a lot of games and everybody is going to play,” Guardiola told reporters during the post match press conference.
“If you want to play in a certain way that I like, to monopolise the ball, you need talent and we’ve got it. Our midfield position is really good.
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“Yaya, for example didn’t play because of Fernandinho but [Ilkay] Gundogan is coming back soon, with Kevin, with Silva, with Bernardo; Rash can play in that position, Phil Foden played outstanding in the pre-season.
“All of them have a lot of quality. When a player has the ball and doesn’t lose the ball I love that. They keep it well and all of them are going to play.
“Last season I rotated the team a lot and this season it’s going to happen again. After that it depends on them, whether they accept my decisions or not.
“If they don’t accept it will be their problem, not mine.”
Gundogan returned to training over the summer but is yet to feature for City. The 26-year-old is understood to be nearing a comeback by the end of this month.
Manchester City take on Everton this weekend in the Premier League. The Toffees recorded a 1-0 victory over Stoke City in their first game of the season. Summer signing Wayne Rooney scored the only goal of the game.