Pep Guardiola admits Man City 'spoke a lot' about Newcastle defeat before Arsenal victory

By Gerard Brand at the Etihad Stadium

Monday 4 February 2019 00:02, UK

Pep Guardiola says he spoke a lot with his Manchester City side about their performance in the defeat by Newcastle as they bounced back with a 3-1 win over Arsenal on Super Sunday.

Sergio Aguero's hat-trick reduced the gap at the top of the Premier League to two points for 24 hours at least ahead of Liverpool's trip to West Ham on Monday Night Football, with City looking impressive again following a shock 2-1 defeat at St James' Park on Tuesday.

Speaking to Sky Sports after the game, Guardiola admitted City aren't a good team when effort levels are down, and inferred strong words were had with his side in recent days following the midweek defeat.

"What's important is realising what we have to do to win the games," he said. "We play like we play against Newcastle, or play like we did today or most of the games this season, we are a good team when we go to the full gas, when we go and go and go 90 minutes.

"Now we are a team who competes, and it looks nice, but when we are not in that rhythm, a little bit slower, we are not a good team, so hopefully that game can help us to understand.

"We spoke many times in our three years together, but especially in the last days, we are good when we do what we have to do."

Aguero was pivotal again against top-six opposition, showing once again why he forced himself back into favour with Guardiola just two years after his future looked in doubt upon the Spaniard's arrival.

Guardiola described the Argentine's effort levels as "incredible", and says while he continues in that vain, there will never be any problems.

He said: "I don't have to describe anything about that, everybody knows, what is important is how he fights. I think it's incredible, I know it's not his body tendency to run like Gabriel for example, or Bernardo, or the others.

"But he tried to do absolutely everything, and with that, it will never be a problem with the team and any of us."

Guardiola fielded a new-look back four for the Super Sunday clash, starting Fernandinho at centre-back and Aymeric Laporte at left-back, and the manager insists Fernandinho in particular is suited to the defensive role.

He said: "He can play in that position, as a central defender, he has the conditions, strong in the air, so intelligent, he's quick going back, he's aggressive, and when he sees the game in front of him, he has the ability to drive, put the ball inside and outside, switching play.

"We need a player who can play back four, play in the middle, and especially because they have two strikers and attack with the full-backs, they kill us on the counter attack. That's why we're more protected with three players at the back."