Pep Guardiola makes claim about Mohamed Salah straight after City win the PL title
Pep Guardiola has claimed that wingers such as Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah helped Manchester City’s defenders in winning their sixth Premier League title.
Speaking to Sky Sports after City’s 1-0 win against Chelsea having secured the title on the weekend, the Catalan manager revealed that world-class wingers, such as Liverpool’s Salah and former Anfield hero Sadio Mane, helped his defenders in one-on-one situations that helped them to the title.
🗣️ “I learned this season when you play against [Bukayo] Saka, Vinícius [Júnior], these type of wingers, [Gabriel] Martinelli or [Mohamed] Salah or [Sadio] Mané in the past that you need proper defenders to win duels 1 against 1.”
Pep Guardiola on changing his defensive system pic.twitter.com/t2p0aH509m
— Football Daily (@footballdaily) May 22, 2023
Whilst Erling Haaland’s goalscoring antics have stolen most of the headlines this season, City’s defence have arguably played an even bigger role in the Etihad Stadium side’s Premier League triumph, with Nathan Aken being reborn under Guardiola as Manuel Akanji has arguably been one of the signings of the year.
Yet when asked about one of his biggest lessons this season, Guardiola named Liverpool’s Egyptian superstar Salah as one of the key reasons why City’s defence has been as good as it has, with the forward scoring twice against the Manchester giants this campaign.
Guardiola said on City facing world-class wingers: “I learned this season when you play against [Bukayo] Saka, Vinicius [Junior], these type of wingers, [Gabriel] Martinelli or [Mohamed] Salah or [Sadio] Mane in the past that you need proper defenders to win duels one against one.”
Guardiola’s admiration for Salah proves how good he has been this season
With 30 goals and 15 assists in all competitions this season, it’s criminal how underrated Salah has been this season, yet praise from Guardiola proves that the Liverpool winger remains one of the best in the world in his position.
The 30-year-old is at the top of his game, and with Liverpool set for another huge year, the former AS Roma star could be key to Jurgen Klopp and his plan of challenging City for the Premier League title again next season.
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