Pep Guardiola has suggested he ‘loves’ the process of intensely thinking through his Manchester City tactics and team selections prior to matches.
The Catalan was subject to intense criticism this week after he made 10 changes to the Manchester City starting XI that lost 2-0 to Bayer Leverkusen in the UEFA Champions League – just days after his side fell just short against Newcastle in the Premier League.
City are undergoing a period of transition in the backdrop of a sliding doors transfer window in the summer, wherein director of football Hugo Viana made sweeping changes to the first-team roster after a dismal, trophyless 2024-25 campaign.
After an indifferent start to the season that left City languishing in the bottom half of the table at the end of August, Guardiola’s troops have turned a corner and shown signs of a team that could challenge for the title if they can get their act together following a recent slump in form.
Next up for City is a Premier League meeting with Leeds United at home on Saturday, where the Blues are expected to revert to their strongest starting XI after the midweek setback in the UEFA Champions League.
Much was made of Guardiola’s approach to the game against Leverkusen, with Manchester City captain Bernardo Silva and the manager himself admitting there was one change too many made to the lineup at the Etihad Stadium.
City have it all to do to avoid having to participate in the Champions League play-offs and their task won’t be made any easier when they face off against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu in their next group-phase fixture in the second week of December.
Guardiola will be keen to get his team selections right as City look to challenge on all fronts this term and speaking ahead of Saturday’s clash against Leeds United, the 54-year-old was quizzed on whether he sometimes ‘overthinks’ over his starting line-up.
“I love it! Do you think thinking is a problem? As a human being? It looks like it, right? I can make a list when I think a lot and it works. And after I’m a genius,” Guardiola said in a press conference on Friday.
“So I take decisions because I think it’s the best for the team in that moment, knowing that it can be good or I can be wrong. I accept it.
“And I spoke with the players, ‘In front of you, all of you, I support you but just you have to try – it’s the only I ask! The only thing I ask is try it!’”
Erling Haaland, Rayan Cherki, Phil Foden and Silva are all expected to start against Leeds United, with Rodri and Mateo Kovacic the only two absentees for Manchester City for their final game of November 2025.
