Pep Guardiola has claimed that our upcoming clash against Man City will be a ‘massive test’ for the champions after praising Eddie Howe for ‘creating a fantastic side’.
The Spaniard has been very vocal in his admiration for the Magpies following our Saudi-backed takeover almost two years ago, claiming our ‘Champions League team’ are ‘there to stay for a long, long, long time’.
The former Barcelona man specifically praised the improvements in ‘transition, ball possession in the build-up and set pieces’, saying ‘they control everything’ when asked about the challenge facing his treble-winning squad.
Unlike Premier League bosses like Mikel Arteta, Erik ten Hag and Jurgen Klopp, Pep has often praised Howe and his team for the massive improvements made over the past 18 months, and once again has reiterated this in his press conference on Friday. Watch his praise for Newcastle via the two clips below:
“It’s a Champions League team. If you qualify for the Champions League it’s because you are a really good team.
“In the short time since they were taken over by Saudi Arabia, people in a short time had the feeling they are here to stay for a long, long, long time. Nobody believed it last season and looked at what happened.
“Eddie Howe has created a fantastic team for many reasons – in transition, ball possession in the build-up and set pieces. They control everything It will be a massive test for us but we are prepared for that.
“We play against an extraordinary team that continue to perform really well since they bought players perfect for the way they play.
Such a contrast between Pep and Klopp. You can’t buy class as they say.
kimtoon(Quote)