Pep Guardiola responds to Rodri and Phil Foden ‘concern’ for Arsenal clash

Pep Guardiola insists he has no concerns over the lack of minutes for Rodri, Phil Foden and Ilkay Gundogan ahead of Manchester City’s Premier League clash against Arsenal this weekend.

City were held to a goalless draw at home to Inter in their opening Champions League game on Wednesday evening.

Rodri was handed his first start of the season for the match, while both Foden and Gundogan were brought on at half time with City looking to break the deadlock against the Serie A champions.

Guardiola’s side now turn their attention to Arsenal, who play Atalanta in their firstChampions League fixture of the new campaign on Thursday evening before playing City at the Etihad Stadium this Sunday.

Asked if he has concerns over the intensity of the games against Inter and Arsenal with Rodri, Foden and Gundogan lacking playing time, Guardiola replied: ‘Maybe, but it is what it is.

‘We don’t control the schedule, the calendar, the Champions League draw we play Inter at home and now Arsenal are there. No complaints at all, it is what it is.

‘Players have behaved really well so far this season, with the Community Shield we had a lot of problems in that game but in the Premier League we behave really good, today [against Inter] again we played to win, we made a good performance, we’d love to win and create more chances but I give a lot of credit to them, it’s an exceptional team, I knew it years ago, when we face Italian teams they are so difficult.’

Asked if Sunday’s match against Arsenal will provide a similar test to the one Inter provided for City, Guardiola replied: ‘I don’t know, I don’t know the idea of Mikel of how they’re going to play. I’ll have to read it and adapt it.

‘But it’s another unbelievable team, they defend really well, they don’t concede chances, they don’t concede goals, they are really good in many aspects, they control everything.

‘They’ve been the biggest challenge, title contenders the last two seasons they are there and they will be there for many years because they create a deeper squad, a young team.

‘So it’s another good test but we are in September, so I like to see the team, many things we are better than the past, even better than the past how we’ve done it, we’ll see what happens on Sunday.’

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