Guardiola says Premier League teams must adapt to set-piece threat

LONDON: Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola said teams must adapt to deal with set pieces after Liverpool manager Arne Slot spoke about how they were sucking some of the “joy” out of the Premier League.

Arsenal have been labelled “Set Piece FC” as a result of their prowess from dead ball situations and other sides are learning from their playbook.

Speaking Tuesday, on the eve of title-chasing City’s match against relegation-threatened Nottingham Forest, Guardiola said clubs had no choice but to learn to deal with the growing threat.

“It’s part of the dynamics and you can complain (but) you have to adapt and it’s part of the game,” he said.

The Spaniard, renowned for his fluid, possession-based football, said “in some aspects” he agreed with Slot, but explained that one of the fascinating aspects of football was the range of different styles.

READ MORE: Liverpool’s Slot says his ‘football heart’ does not like set-piece trend

“Football has not been played in one way since the it has been created,” he said. “So the football played in England is different from Spain, it’s different in Italy, it’s different and that’s nice.

“That’s why the Champions League is nice, different ways, even in that country every manager plays in a different way.

“So it’s nice, that’s why it’s so attractive. How boring would it be if all the managers and all the leagues played in the same way?

“So if I like or don’t like, it’s my business, so if I don’t like, I don’t watch as a spectator, but it is what it is, I have to adapt. It’s a question of how quickly you adapt.”

City have won their past six games in all competitions and are five points behind Premier League leaders Arsenal with a game in hand.

“The last 10 games now start to be decisive,” said the City boss. “Two Premier League games before the international break – we are five behind Arsenal so we can’t drop points.”

Guardiola said City would make a call on the fitness of Erling Haaland and Nico O’Reilly after Tuesday’s training session.

Norwegian striker Haaland missed Saturday’s 1-0 win at Leeds after picking up a knock in training while O’Reilly was forced off with an ankle problem at Elland Road.