We cannot afford to be arrogant, warns Pep
PEP GUARDIOLA is focusing on individual mistakes in training to stop arrogance derailing Manchester City. The manager is mindful that a record-breaking 15-match winning run and an eight-point lead at the Premier League summit could see concentration levels plummet, which Leicester boss Claude Puel is hoping to exploit today. Guardiola, whose side lost 4-2 at the King Power last season, said: ‘The moment the players don’t believe they can be better, then that’s the moment we crash. It will be a big mistake if they think they have (already cracked it), that we’ve done enough until now. ‘When we analyse the results, there is nothing to say. But when you see the games — picking out the mistakes — then there is a reason to work for the future.’ Guardiola is without Nicolas Otamendi today. The Argentine is serving a one-match suspension and Eliaquim Mangala is favourite to deputise. Vincent Kompany, out with a calf problem since August, trained this week but remains a doubt. Otamendi’s partnership with John Stones has been key this term and Guardiola believes the 23-year-old England defender has benefited from becoming a father this year. ‘He is more mature,’ said Guardiola. ‘Every game last season he made one or two mistakes and this season that is more irregular. He has this amazing quality to understand the game, to be calm, to read the next pass.’ Puel hopes to test City’s changed backline by asking Jamie Vardy to lead Leicester’s pursuit of winning the ball high up the pitch. ‘If we need to recover the ball it is good to be pressing together, all the team with good co-ordination, application and concentration,’ said Puel. ‘If it is just Jamie or just two or three players it’s not possible because this team can play between the lines easily.’