Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola didn’t pull any punches when talking about Tottenham’s 2-0 win over the previously unbeaten Citizens. In post-match comments to the BBC, just came right out and said it: Spurs were the better side today.
“It was a tough game, Tottenham are a very good team, and have been the past three years, and especially last year. They were fighting… we spoke about that, we tried to do that.
“It was difficult and they were better. I congratulate Tottenham on their performance.
“We were a little late in every sense. In our build-up we had problems creating, and we missed a lot of balls in the positions where they are so, so dangerous. We knew we wouldn’t have so many chances because of their high press and that they play direct to Son.
“In terms of the game, in many aspects they were better than us.”
Conciliatory and gracious words from Pep, who is a fantastic manager and is already doing great things with City this season.
Pochettino certainly seems to have Pep’s number in their brief managerial battles -- much has already been made about how Poche’s Espanyol side was able to defeat Pep’s mighty Barcelona ten years ago. Now this is looking like it’s going to be a rivalry (friendly for the managers, not so much for the clubs) for as long as these two men are at the helm of their respective clubs.
Spurs have yet to concede a run of play goal after seven league matches, and were able to keep City attackers Sergio Aguero and Raheem Sterling relatively quiet over the course of the match.