Pep Guardiola hints at 'ridiculous' tactical plan to face Man Utd
By Sean Walsh
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has suggested he could devise a 'ridiculous' tactical setup for Saturday's trip to crosstown rivals Manchester United.
The reigning Premier League champions sit five points behind Arsenal in the current standings, with the Gunners also in derby action this weekend against Tottenham.
Guardiola has often been accused of overthinking his game-plans in big matches, and with United finally clicking under Erik ten Hag, the Spaniard has admitted he could shake things up again this weekend.
"I have a few ideas, thoughts - ridiculous ones against United - but still I didn’t watch their last games," Guardiola said.
"I have to see the way they play at home and if they change something. I still have to review it; that is why I don’t have a clear lineup [yet] against United."
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City face Southampton in the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup on Wednesday evening, heading into the clash having played Chelsea twice in the space of four days last week. Guardiola admitted that fitness and fatigue will also factor into his derby day decisions.
"The [FA Cup] game against Chelsea I made a lot of changes for one reason: how tired I saw some players after the [first] game, after the trip," he continued.
"We arrived too late back and in the training the day after I saw the players tired. It also depends on those who didn’t play against Chelsea. I would like to arrive against United with the average of minutes in the legs of the players quite similar."