Pep Guardiola has lauded Mauricio Pochettino as one of world’s best managers as he prepares Manchester City, the leaders, to take on second-placed Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane on Sunday.
City have won all six of their Premier League games while Spurs are four points behind. Guardiola is as admirer of Pochettino and his Tottenham side, having also come up against the Argentinian when he coached Espanyol and the Catalan managed Barcelona.
Derby defeat
Then, in February 2009, Pochettino inflicted Barca’s first derby defeat in 27 years when beating them 2-1 at Camp Nou.
“We played against Pochettino as players and then as coaches. I think he’s one of the best managers in the world – I enjoy watching Tottenham,” said Guardiola.
“He’s doing an amazing job in London at Spurs. The way they play I like a lot – they’re aggressive and have a lot of quality.
“The basis of the team is the national team with (Dele) Alli, (Kyle) Walker, (Harry) Kane – they have a lot of quality. Last season they were there until the last couple of games for the championship.
“This year they’re playing at a high level – they’re in second position so it will be a tough game and I’m looking forward to going to White Hart Lane for the first time in my life. We will try and do our job.
“All of the fans who like football and watch football can enjoy [Spurs] – they’re proactive, not reactive. There are many teams who wait to see what you do and then react – they don’t wait to see what they’re going to do. They want to create their own game. That’s why I like them. When I saw the last game against CSKA, against Liverpool, against Middlesbrough, I like what I’m watching.”
Asked what he learned from Wednesday’s 3-3 draw at Celtic, which ended City’s run of wins at 10, Guardiola said: “Everything is so difficult in football. I think they arrived three or four chances, they scored three goals – that’s the Champions League.
“The players are so focused as they know how special the competition is.
“There were many things – the first goal was offside, the second was an own goal – that’s part of the game. I would prefer to lose points in the Premier League as you have time to make them back but the Champions League is short – in the last three games, you have to make four points.
“If not it will be so difficult to go through. It showed us our core principles, our build-up, our high pressing was not good in that game – we have to work on that.”
Regarding the injured Kevin De Bruyne, Vincent Kompany and Fabian Delph, Guardiola said: “We have 10 days [after Spurs] which will help us – we need most of them back. The same with Delph. I don’t know – maybe two or three weeks they will be ready. I don’t know if they will be ready for Everton or for Barcelona – we’ll see next time.
“The injuries are not so, so tough as they seemed in the first impression. Usually a muscle injury is a month but we’re going to wait and see.”
Guardiola also confirmed Yaya Toure is yet to offer the apology for his outspoken agent, Dimitri Seluk, that will allow him to again be available for selection. He is, though, training with the first-team squad.
– Guardian service
