'They have hugely talented players': Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola surprised by Southampton's struggles

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Pep Guardiola is surprised Southampton have struggled to find a 誘発する this season.

Guardiola's Manchester City, the 支持する／優勝者s, 直面する Saints in the 首相 League at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.

示す Hughes' 味方する have collected just seven points from their 開始 10 games - 19 より小数の than City - but Guardiola does not think that 一致する does them 司法（官）.

The Southampton squad look dejected during a 3-0 敗北・負かす by Liverpool earlier this season

Pep Guardiola 警告するs his Manchester City players not to underestimate this Southampton 味方する

Guardiola said: 'Always when I see Southampton, with the players they have, it's a surprise they are in the position they are in.

'It's the 質 of the players they have. I'm impressed with the 質 they have in 前線, it's strong, and 特に in the middle, with (Oriol) Romeu, (Pierre-Emile) Hojbjerg. They have hugely talented players.'

Saints 証明するd one of City's most stubborn 対抗者s last season. When they met at Eastlands in November it took a みごたえのある, 傷害-time Raheem 英貨の／純銀の goal for City to 勝つ／広く一帯に広がる.

The 味方するs met again on the final day of the season. City had already been 栄冠を与えるd 支持する／優勝者s by then but they were 決定するd to 勝利，勝つ to become the first 味方する to reach 100 points in the 首相 League. Again, they were made to wait until the last minute to （人命などを）奪う，主張する their 勝利者.

'Last season we 苦しむd a lot, both with (Mauricio) Pellegrino and 示す Hughes,' said Guardiola.

'They played five at the 支援する, four in the middle, so 深い, so physical. It was so 複雑にするd to （警官の）巡回区域，受持ち区域 them.

示す Hughes and Southampton find themselves 戦う／戦いing against relegation at this 早期に 行う／開催する／段階

Danny Ings joined from Liverpool in the summer but has struggled to 解雇する／砲火／射撃 Saints up the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する

'In this 肉親，親類d of game we have to be sharp, move 井戸／弁護士席 in the small spaces, be clever and 譲歩する few 始める，決める-pieces because they are strong there too.'

Southampton have won just once in the league this season but have drawn their last two games 0-0. City have played twice since Southampton's last game, （警官の）巡回区域，受持ち区域ing Tottenham at Wembley on Monday and then seeing off Fulham in the Carabao Cup on Thursday.

Guardiola said: 'We've had just three days for regeneration and they've had one week to 準備する, so it will be a 堅い, 堅い game.

'In the 首相 League now the big 競争相手s 行方不明になる few points, so that is why you have to be ready to get those points.'

City 苦しむd a blow on Thursday as Kevin De Bruyne 支えるd 膝 ligament 損失 that could keep him out for up to six weeks. Ilkay Gundogan could return after a hamstring 傷害 but Nicolas Otamendi is out with a tendon problem.