Pep Guardiola responds to Rodri and Phil Foden ‘concern’ for Arsenal clash | Football

City were held to a goalless draw at home to Inter in their opening Champions League game on Wednesday evening.

Rodri was handed his first start of the season for the match, while both Foden and Gundogan were brought on at half time with City looking to break the deadlock against the Serie A champions.

Guardiola’s side now turn their attention to Arsenal, who play Atalanta in their firstChampions League fixture of the new campaign on Thursday evening before playing City at the Etihad Stadium this Sunday.

Asked if he has concerns over the intensity of the games against Inter and Arsenal with Rodri, Foden and Gundogan lacking playing time, Guardiola replied: ‘Maybe, but it is what it is.

Asked if Sunday’s match against Arsenal will provide a similar test to the one Inter provided for City, Guardiola replied: ‘I don’t know, I don’t know the idea of Mikel of how they’re going to play. I’ll have to read it and adapt it.

‘But it’s another unbelievable team, they defend really well, they don’t concede chances, they don’t concede goals, they are really good in many aspects, they control everything.

‘They’ve been the biggest challenge, title contenders the last two seasons they are there and they will be there for many years because they create a deeper squad, a young team.

‘So it’s another good test but we are in September, so I like to see the team, many things we are better than the past, even better than the past how we’ve done it, we’ll see what happens on Sunday.’

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