BEWARE PEP’S DIABOLICAL PLAN

ROBERTO DE ZERBI, the new Brighton manager, is a friend of Pep Guardiola and says he can approach him any time for advice.

There may be trouble ahead. The desire to learn from the master appears to have encouraged most Premier League managers to demand their goalkeeper plays out from the back. The problem being there have only ever been about three goalkeepers capable of doing this and Guardiola has all of them.

That’s why the best attacking threat against Arsenal and Chelsea remains their own goalkeeper, with the ball at his feet in the six-yard box. As plans go, it’s diabolical, but very effective.

If Guardiola had a moustache, he’d be twirling it.