Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has insisted that both Sergio Aguero and Vincent Kompany have a future with the club. Sergio Aguero was on the bench as City lost 4-0 to Barcelona in the Champions League, Lionel Messi scoring a hat-trick.
It was a tactical decision. I wanted one more midfielder.
Pep Guardiola
Vincent Kompany was not even among the subs for the game at the Camp Nou and, as Guardiola faced the press ahead of City’s game with Southampton on Sunday, he was asked about the future of the two players.
He said: “They are the future for Manchester City. Vincent Kompany was not perfect fit and that is why we took the decision.”
Of the decision to leave Aguero out of the starting line-up, he added: “It was a tactical decision. I wanted one more midfielder, I tried to keep the ball in the Camp Nou and when you have the ball, Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez don’t.
“I spoke with Sergio and he was understanding, I thought in the last 30 minutes, with the Barcelona centre-halves tiring, he could help a lot from the bench.”
City are 1/2 to beat the Saints who are 13/2 with the draw priced at 7/2.
If City do get the three points on Sunday it will get them back on track after the first set-backs of Guardiola’s time in charge.
His team haven’t won since beating Swansea at the end of September, a four game run consisting of draws with Celtic and Everton and defeats at the hands of Barcelona and Tottenham.
While Aguero and Kompany will be hoping to both be back in the starting line-up for Sunday’s game, Guardiola confirmed that two players definitely out are Pablo Zabaleta and Bacary Sagna who are both injured.
City are 11/10 to win the Premier League this season.
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