Redmond: Pep just paid me compliments!

SOUTHAMPTON forward Nathan Redmond has dismissed suggestions that City manager Pep Guardiola insulted him during an on-field rant at the end of City’s 2-1 win over the Saints on Wednesday night.

In wild scenes following Raheem Sterling’s winner – which came with virtually the last kick of the game an animated Guardiola was seen in a heated discussion with Redmond after the final whistle.

The City boss insisted after the match he had only wanted to tell Redmond ‘how good a player he is’, and Redmond has backed up that account following reports yesterday which suggested Guardiola had in fact been strongly criticising the oncecapped England player.

In a statement posted on Twitter, Redmond wrote: “Yes he was very passionate, intense and aggressive but he was only very complimentary and positive to me.

“He commented on my qualities as a young English player and how he wanted me to attack his team more during the game in a similar way to last season.

“I told him I was doing what my manager had asked me to do in the game. That’s it.

“Nothing negative or offensive was said towards me from Pep and that’s what makes him one of the best managers in world football.

“Losing the game the way we did in the last kick of the game after working so hard for 90+ minutes I was very disappointment (sic) but when one of the world’s best managers compliments you or gives advice in any way, you listen.”

Speaking after the match, Guardiola had admitted his frustration that Southampton ‘didn’t want to play’ and ‘were time-wasting from the ninth minute’, but insisted he was praising Redmond despite his rather aggressive-looking manner.

“(I told him) how good a player he is,” Guardiola said.

“Last season he destroyed us here. I didn’t know him last season, I realised how good he is.

“Today he could not attack because they defend all the time, but that is what it is.

“I spoke with Oriol Romeu as well, with (Virgil) van Dijk and with my players as well.” VINCENT Kompany and Pep Guardiola have both vowed to work on City’s defending at setpieces before they meet United next week.

The Blues skipper and manager were both painfully aware that Southampton twice came close to opening the scoring from corners before the Blues secured their 2-1 win with virtually the last kick of the game from Raheem Sterling on Wednesday night.

And with United possessing a very real aerial threat in what is expected to be a tight match, both men say that area of the Blues’ game needs work.

“If you tell me that they are going to set up the same way as Huddersfield and Southampton then I will be very surprised,” said Kompany.

“But maybe that is the way forward. First thing’s first, West Ham.”

That was backed up by Guardiola, who said they will be looking at that situation on the training ground. He said: “Now we have to improve in the set-pieces because West Ham, United, Tottenham… all the teams are stronger and taller and higher than us, that is why we have to spend more time on that.” Kompany feels the Blues have taken a leaf out of the Reds’ book by securing another late, late victory against Southampton and says it can hurt your rivals as well as boost your own morale. That comes from bitter experience, as United were once the masters of crushing opposition in that way. Kompany has empathy for any United or Chelsea players who watched on in horror as Raheem Sterling’s 96th-minute winner restored the Blues’ eight-point lead. “I have been in that position myself – United used to do it to everybody else tobe honest!” said Kompany. “But it’s a long season.

“We have done it so far and if at the end of the season we have done it consistently then I will be happy about it.

“The key thing for us is not necessarily what the other teams think but just to know that you can trust your team, your players.”

The scenes after Sterling’s winner, with Guardiola leaping around on the pitch, were reminiscent of United’s win over Sheffield Wednesday in 1993 which led to the Reds’ first league title for 25 years.

That was much later in the season, but the Southampton win did have the feel of a big moment in the title race, just as United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool were expecting their wins would close the gap at the top.

Kompany poured cold water on such talk, but assessed the true value of such moments, saying: “It’s too early in the season to talk about titles.

“It is just good to know that you can have that feeling that at any time of the game you can make something happen.

“I felt it could still happen even that late in added time.”

He commented on my qualities as a young English player and how he wanted me to attack his team Nathan Redmond