SM
Liverpool vs. Real Madrid: 4 hrs 1 min
Upcoming predictions and previews

Pep Guardiola insists Man City won't sign Fernandinho back-up in January

:Headline: Pep Guardiola insists Man City won't sign Fernandinho back-up in January: ID:345423: from db_amp
Fernandinho has been a big miss for City.

Pep Guardiola admitted Manchester City's struggles over Christmas highlighted their reliance on Fernandinho but insisted it had done nothing to change his plans for the January transfer window.

Fernandinho sat out surprise back-to-back defeats against Crystal Palace and Leicester which saw City drop seven points off Liverpool's pace at the top of the Premier League.

And the injured Brazil midfielder is not certain to face Southampton on Sunday despite training on Saturday.

Fernandinho has been a key cog in the Manchester City machine (Nick Potts/PA)

"It is not necessary to lose three games from four to say how important Fernandinho is to us," Guardiola said. "It is a specific position, we don't have his qualities again. He is an incredible player."

City tried to sign cover in the form of Jorginho in the summer, but the Italy midfielder opted to follow his Napoli boss Maurizio Sarri to Chelsea instead.

"We tried but when players don't want to come what can we do?" Guardiola said.

"I never in my career with Barcelona or Bayern Munich, I never complain about what they try to do, the clubs. They do their best because they want to win too. They try to provide me with the best team possible and they did it."

Jorginho, right, could have been competition for Fernandinho, left, at the Etihad Stadium (Adam Davy/PA)

But though it is a problem City have sought to address in the past, Guardiola once again indicated there would be no signings in January.

"I think the answer was clear two times about this issue," he said.

Guardiola has never been one to compromise on his approach to the game, and insisted there was no reason to change anything now.

"We have belief," he said. "We have the belief when the situation is win or lose. The belief is more about what we are, no matter if we win or lose.

Pep Guardiola is keeping faith in his players and his style (Martin Rickett/PA)

"We have to come back to win games if we want to still be there for trophies but the belief is always there.

"Why should I not believe with these players and what we have done in the last 15 or 16 months. They are absolute heroes for me."

And the Catalan said it was up to him to find the answers.

"I know my players perfectly," he said. "If you believe I am going to doubt one second about them you are completely wrong. For me it is incredible what they do, what they have done and what they are doing in every single game.

Brahim Diaz could be saying goodbye to Pep Guardiola (Mike Egerton/PA)

"First of all I sit in front of the mirror myself. I never point the finger, never. I sit in front of my mirror and ask what I can do to help because I am able and I am willing to do that."

While Guardiola may insist there will be no new faces in January, City expect to lose teenage midfielder Brahim Diaz to Real Madrid despite hopes he would commit his future to the club he joined from Malaga in 2013.

"I don't have any new information," Guardiola said. "I know they are in conversations but I don't have new info on what the situation is. Today he trained with us. I spoke in the past what is my opinion."

amp_article__345423 : Database Data restored...  : 
last updated article - 2018-12-31 15:39:08:
html db last update - 2018-12-31 15:39:08 :

ex - 7200 : read : read cache amp html

Click here for more stories about Pep Guardiola

Click here for more stories about Manchester City

Share this article now:
Recommended Next on SM
Premier League Table
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool1210112481631
2Manchester CityMan City127232217523
3Chelsea126422314922
4Arsenal126422112922
5Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton126422116522
6Tottenham HotspurSpurs1261527131419
7Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest125431513219
8Aston Villa125431919019
9Fulham125341717018
10Newcastle UnitedNewcastle125341313018
11Brentford125252222017
12Manchester UnitedMan Utd124441313016
13Bournemouth124351617-115
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham124351519-415
15Everton122551017-711
16Leicester CityLeicester122461523-810
17Wolverhampton WanderersWolves122372028-89
18Ipswich TownIpswich121651323-109
19Crystal Palace121561017-78
20Southampton121110924-154
Scroll for more - Tap for full version


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!

Loading ...

Failed to load data.



. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .