Guardiola Admits Set-Pieces Have Become a Major Threat in Premier League

 

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has acknowledged that set-pieces have become a major threat in the Premier League once again, comparing the current trend to the days of facing Stoke City under Tony Pulis.

Recent statistics show that nearly 19 percent of all league goals this season have come from corners — about five percent higher than in previous years.

“It’s true that teams now treat every throw-in like a corner and crowd the box with 10 players,” Guardiola said.

He cited examples from recent matches, saying: “We struggled when we played Brentford, or even when Brentford faced Liverpool — every action from (Michael) Kayode was launched into the box, and he ended up being man of the match.”

The City boss also praised managers like Sean Dyche and Sam Allardyce for their mastery of direct, physical football, describing Dyche as “one of the best” at exploiting long balls and second balls.

“Set-pieces are a big threat again. It’s not new — Burnley did it under Dyche, Allardyce did it, and even before my time here, Stoke City were known for it,” he continued.

Guardiola concluded by recalling how English football’s aerial threat has evolved: “When I was at Barcelona and Bayern Munich, Arsène Wenger used to talk about how difficult it was to play at Stoke. Now, it’s not just Stoke — many teams play that way.”