Pep Guardiola hints at ‘ridiculous’ Plans for Manchester Derby

Pep Guardiola hinted that he is already thinking up “ridiculous” ideas for the Manchester derby as his team prepare for their league cup quarter-final at Southampton.

The Manchester City manager has warned his players not to look beyond tonight’s Carabao Cup quarter-final at Southampton as he targets a fifth League Cup triumph in six seasons.

Guardiola is a legendary tactician. He is famous for being a tremendous student of the game, and spending plenty of hours in the film room. He’s a mastermind to be sure, but sometimes he can get in his own way.

There have been times when Pep has overthought his game plan, and just gotten too cute, so to speak. Conversing with the news media earlier today, ahead of tomorrow’s League Cup quarterfinal at Southampton, Guardiola hinted at a potential a surprise that he’s plotting for the Manchester derby on Saturday.

“I would say the game against Chelsea I made a lot of changes for one reason, how tired I saw some players after the game, for the trip we arrived too late and I saw the players tired in training and these ones that didn’t play against Chelsea,” said Guardiola. “I would like to arrive against United with the average of minutes in the legs quite similar.

“I have a few ideas, thoughts – ridiculous ones – against United but I still didn’t watch the last games. 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 line-up against United.”

Whether or not Guardiola was joking about his reputation for tinkering in big games, City do have recent history of success playing unorthodox formations at Old Trafford – most notably when they won in dominant fashion in the League Cup semi-final in 2020 playing with two false nines.

Meanwhile, Guardiola has ­challenged Kalvin Phillips to dislodge Rodri as his first-choice ­holding midfielder, but says the England player must improve the way he receives the ball from the centre-backs. Phillips was initially prevented from training and ­playing after reporting back from the World Cup “overweight” but is expected to start against Southampton.

“He has to fight with Rodri for the benefit of all of us,” Guardiola said. “Rodri cannot sleep and must have the feeling there is someone close to him to do it. He has to.”