Pep Guardiola confirmed that Manchester City did not deserve to qualify for the semi-finals in the League Cup, following losing 2-0 from Southampton.
Saint Mary’s Stadium witnessed a disappointing performance from the Celestial team, unlike usual, and both Sekou Mara and Djenepo scored the goals of the match.
Guardiola did not complain regarding the result and explained that Southampton, who is in the relegation centers in the English Premier League, was the best following he put pressure on City in the first moments of the match.
“The best team won, they were the best while we didn’t play well and it was a bad night,” he said.
Pep continued: “We did not behave well with the bad start, we did not play well, and in order to win, I did not talk regarding titles, but regarding matches, you have to deserve it.”
And he stressed: “If I win something, I must deserve it, and today Southampton is the one who deserves to be in the semi-finals of the tournament.”
City performed well once morest Chelsea, who won the Premier League and FA Cup once morest them.
Al-Samawi coach indicated that there was a big difference between City’s performance once morest Chelsea at Stamford Bridge and at the Etihad Stadium, compared to that once morest Southampton.
He said, “It was a bad night, I know them well, but today our performance was not close to normal. Three days have passed since the Chelsea game and there is a big difference, so I don’t know what to say.”
And he admitted: “Southampton were the best, and when the opponent is better you have to salute him and accept that and then improve.”
Guardiola made four changes to the team that defeated Chelsea in the FA Cup, when he was available Erling Halland AndKevin De Bruyne on the bench.
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When asked regarding his choices, he said: “I always think when you play four tournaments you will use all the players, everyone has to be ready, the players who are not playing should do something to help the others who are playing and everyone should be involved.”
The Catalan insisted: “So who knows if Erling or Kevin started it would be different? We try to do our best with everyone and we rotate, when we played with Chelsea following the Premier League ‘how great the decisions were’, I understand that’s the nature of the work, and what we try To do that everyone participates and we have to do that and today we were not in our situation.”
City awaits strong matches in the Premier League, starting with the Manchester derby at Old Trafford and then facing Tottenham.
Pip anticipates that there will be a reaction on the jaunt across town.
He said, “It’s different and a different tournament, but for sure if we play this way we will lose.”
The manager concluded his remarks: “I know the moments they had and for many years they were looking to stay in this position, so we know exactly what we have to do to play better and we will try to do that.”
