Pep Guardiola vowed to start unleashing four strikers against teams who park the bus and is revelling in ‘Fergie time’.
Manchester City head to Old Trafford next week searching for a 14th consecutive Premier League win which would break a 125-year top-flight record (set by Preston and Sunderland in 1891-92).
And Guardiola has told any rivals who plan on sitting back to expect a gung-ho City after they left it late to beat West Ham on Sunday.
‘I learned to tackle it differently today,’ Guardiola said. ‘We don’t normally play with two strikers and two wingers but we did so it is a lesson. We can play the same way.
‘The second half with Gabriel Jesus inside we had more players in the box. The same time against Southampton, I didn’t believe we would score the goals. Today I believed.’
Guardiola’s side have rescued nine Premier League points with goals in the final seven minutes of matches already this season, with David Silva’s 83rd-minute finish their third late winner in a week.
And the Catalan believes City have manufactured the same spirit as Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United teams.
‘I heard about the Fergie time,’ Guardiola added. ‘If we can take something like Fergie time, it is welcome, a pleasure.
‘We never give up. I think what happened, the opponent doesn’t want to play. They just want to defend, waiting for a moment. I am not judging but it is difficult.
‘Always they have 10 players behind the ball. Hopefully in the future opponents can try to play and maybe it will be easier.’
Guardiola – who admitted Sergio Aguero’s form has dipped significantly since his car crash in Amsterdam – would not be drawn on Paul Pogba publicly wishing injuries on his City rivals.
‘It was an expression. I am pretty sure he doesn’t want other players to get injured,’ he said.
‘I would like that Paul could play (next week). I like to face the team with the best players as possible, to see if it is able to beat them but I think at the end.’
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