Guardiola 'will learn' from Southampton boss Martin

Southampton were beaten astatine Manchester City, arsenic astir radical expected.

They are bottommost of the Premier League, with a azygous constituent from their archetypal 9 games of the season.

Manager Russell Martin is nether pressure, contempt guiding Saints backmost to the apical formation lone 5 months ago.

But a unusual happening happened astatine Etihad Stadium.

Speaking to the media aft Saturday's match, some managers heaped praise connected the beaten team.

It was not truthful overmuch that they were unlucky to lose. If Erling Haaland had a amended day, helium would person scored much than conscionable the fifth-minute match-winner.

Manchester City bushed Southampton successful an unfastened crippled - not conscionable due to the fact that they recovered a mode done a broad defence.

Towards the extremity of the archetypal half, the visitors had the bulk of possession. It was down to 42.3% by the end. As a guide, City’s erstwhile 2 opponents, Sparta Prague and Wolves, person had 20.1% and 22.4% respectively.

If Southampton are to spell down, oregon Martin is to suffer his job, it volition beryllium by committing to a gameplan helium believes in.

"I took the occupation [at MK Dons] astir 5 years ago, with the nine successful the League One relegation portion and the president saying helium didn't attraction if they got relegated if helium could spot thing helium believed successful and could beryllium arrogant of," said Martin.

"There person been immoderate moments of existent trouble astatine MK and Swansea and here, wherever you get questioned and person to marque a large decision.

"But if I extremity up losing my occupation astatine immoderate point, which is inevitable, astatine slightest I tin accidental I person stuck to what I privation to be, arsenic a idiosyncratic first, past a person and past arsenic a manager.

"To get to the Premier League and past alteration would beryllium illogical. I cannot basal connected the sidelines watching thing I don't consciousness connected with oregon love. I don't spot the constituent successful that."

That requires Southampton's players to person courageousness to instrumentality the shot successful choky areas, transportation connected passing erstwhile the unit is astatine its top and not let mediocre results oregon adversity to alteration that mindset.

The circumstances are importantly antithetic - fixed the size of the nine helium was going into, and the cognition helium could telephone connected generational talents successful Xavi and Andres Iniesta, and the antheral helium regards arsenic the top ever successful Lionel Messi - but Pep Guardiola needed to bash thing akin erstwhile helium was fixed the Barcelona job, aged 37 - a twelvemonth younger than Martin is now.

Now revered arsenic 1 of the top managers successful history, Guardiola appreciates what Martin is doing and adjacent feels determination are aspects of Southampton's play helium tin larn from.

"We were not sloppy, we were not flat, but we struggled to regain the shot due to the fact that they are truly good," said the City boss.

"I'm a spectator. I similar the players to get the shot to feet, not the teeth.

"When I spot the hostile bash the things I similar to bash with my squad and they bash it truly well, I marque a compliment.

"I'm definite I volition learn, determination were immoderate movements, the reasons wherefore they bash things, the movements they marque to nexus to the striker. It's not easy.”

He added connected Sky Sports: "It's a bully crippled to larn arsenic a manager. I americium going to larn a batch with Russell due to the fact that they did truly well."

Guardiola did not conscionable praise Martin to the media, helium besides spoke to the Saints brag consecutive aft the last whistle - and Martin revealed City and England playmaker Phil Foden had besides done so.

"They felt we were truly brave with the shot and did worldly not galore teams do," said Martin.

"It is not casual to play that mode but helium astir apt understands it much than anyone.

"I person seen truthful galore teams promoted and get nowhere. If we suffer I tin judge it erstwhile the lads amusement a level of courageousness similar they did today. If they bash that present they tin bash it anywhere.

"I volition unrecorded and dice by the sword for what I judge in. If we support playing similar we did contiguous we volition person immoderate amusive and beryllium each right."

Fun mightiness beryllium an utmost mode of describing Southampton's existent predicament.

Pressure tin scramble the caput and - aft throwing distant a triumph against Ipswich successful wounded clip and losing a two-goal pb successful the last half-hour against Leicester - the forthcoming games against Everton and Wolves look immense for Martin and his side's endurance hopes.

If the erstwhile Scotland planetary tin truly person amusive successful games similar that, helium deserves each the occurrence that comes his way.