City will be without midfielder Yaya Toure after the Ivory Coast global was not included in the travelling squad.
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“(Toure) is training incredible but I was not sure he was going to play so I would prefer him to stay in Manchester”, Guardiola told reporters, explaining his decision to overlook the Ivory Coast worldwide.
“I prefer it if he stays there training and focuses on the next game”.
“I have a lot of respect of him, for his career and quality, but for the first days – against Sunderland – we were looking for a more intensive game”.
Hart is far and away Guardiola’s best option right now.
It follows several months of hearsay about the England number one’s uncertain future at the Etihad Stadium, and independent stories from both the Daily Telegraph and the Sun each suggest that Hart now fears the worst.
That was an attention-grabbing selection but Guardiola repeated – as he was probed regularly about it in his post-match press conference – that it was “a decision for today”.
He told the club’s official website: “He [Sterling] played fantastic, but he also played well against Borussia Dortmund, Arsenal, St Johnstone”. I think that a transfer in the region of £20m would be good business for Everton if they are able to get Hart.
Match of the Day pundit Ian Wright believes Hart is the superior keeper but said he has work to do to impress Guardiola.
City then dominated possession but paid the price for a lack of incisive attacks as Sunderland, responding well to their new manager David Moyes, crafted an excellent equaliser for Jermain Defoe 19 minutes from time. “He is a big professional”.
“I thought I had a chance with the previous manager but I don’t know!” After that the result is coming. You sometimes could see someone thinking ‘Where should I run?’ but for a first match it was better than expected. “That is how I would like to feel”.
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The Catalan added that City can not afford to take their Romanian opponents lightly if they are to secure a place in the group stages. Playing out of the back is essential for any team managed by Pep Guardiola, and Guardiola has again proven how committed he is to this style by benching Hart and also splashing £50m on a young ball playing center-back named John Stones.
