Tony Pulis’ Stoke Inspired Premier League Set-piece Focus, Says Guardiola

Pep Guardiola has suggested Tony Pulis’s Stoke broadside person inspired ­Premier League clubs to go much nonstop and spot greater accent connected group pieces. The ­Manchester City caput coach says he will not alteration his ­principles but is unfastened to ­turning Omar Marmoush and Erling ­Haaland into a much classical strike partnership.

City recreation to Swansea connected Wednesday nighttime successful nan Carabao Cup 4th round, wherever they will look a Championship broadside eager to support nan ball. Long throw-ins and corners are becoming progressively important successful nan ­Premier League. Pulis utilized them to his ­advantage during his Stoke ­tenure successful nan late-2000s, helping nan broadside defy nan likelihood successful nan apical flight.

“I retrieve a agelong clip agone pinch Sean Dyche, Burnley were an unthinkable threat successful nan agelong balls, 2nd balls,” Guardiola said. “Dyche is 1 of nan champion by acold doing these benignant of aspects. It’s not new, he did it before. Or Sam Allardyce. Or I retrieve erstwhile I was not here, Stoke City.

“Do you retrieve Stoke City erstwhile they made nan throws? It happened successful that time. Now it’s conscionable much and much teams doing that but past possibly Stoke was nan exception. I retrieve erstwhile I was astatine Barcelona and Bayern Munich, Arsène Wenger talked astir going to play astatine Stoke City but now it happens a batch of times.

“Every head does what they believe. I’m focused connected that. I want to people from free-kicks and corners – I’m not naive, I want it – but I walk my clip connected what we person to do to play better, onslaught amended and create chances, to people goals. Defensively you person to beryllium much aggressive.

“All nan aspects of nan crippled I see. Of people I salary attraction but I cognize I’m not nan head to effort to … It’s what I’ve done each my career.”

Guardiola is fresh to rotate his squad to woody pinch nan hectic schedule. The 18-year-old imaginative ­midfielder Divine Mukasa will subordinate nan first-team squad for nan Swansea crippled and James Trafford will return successful extremity but Rodri remains unavailable. Marmoush will get his first commencement since August but Haaland is apt to beryllium rested.

“Omar and Erling tin play together,” Guardiola said. “We request a due winger successful nan broadside but we request nan players adjacent to Erling, [to exploit] nan gaps betwixt full-backs and cardinal defenders, and we request intensity. Omar is nan best.”