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Pep Guardiola: Manchester City boss disagrees with Ruben Dias over ‘frustrating’ time-wasting tactics from Southampton in goalless draw
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Updated 10/05/2025 at 21:54 GMT+1
Manchester City were frustrated as they attempted to chase down second-placed Arsenal in the Premier League on Saturday. Pep Guardiola's men drew 0-0 away to bottom club Southampton, and defender Ruben Dias hit out at what he saw as a lack of ambition from the home side. However, his manager believed that the blame for dropping two points rested with their inability to register a goal.
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Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola disagreed with his own defender Ruben Dias after the club vice-captain hit out at Southampton's time-wasting following the 0-0 draw on Saturday.
Guardiola was able to recall striker Erling Haaland after six weeks out with injury, but the visitors were held to a frustrating stalemate which left them two points off Arsenal, who have a game in hand in second place.
City had 26 shots on goal, with five on target, and enjoyed 72% possession. Southampton, meanwhile, had just two shots, neither of which were on target.
The home side were already relegated after taking a battering in many of their games so far, and they played conservatively against City.
Speaking to the BBC after the draw, Dias hit out at Southampton's tactics.
Dias said: "It's frustrating, obviously, in a moment like this every point matters. And it is obviously frustrating to play against a team like this.
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"They don't even try anything, they just sit, and they don't even want to win the game. They just want to be there. It is no good for the show and no good for themselves. It is no good for anyone, but it is what it is."
He continued: "I saw a completely different team the last time we played. I don't know how many times players went on the floor to try and waste time and waste time and waste time. It kills the rhythm of the game.
"We always have to do better, but it is not easy to get into a team that behaves this way. Loads of people everywhere, we must be better and be more dynamic and quicker. We need to be better."
Guardiola took a different view, saying he respected his opposite number’s approach to the game, and stated that it was up to City to counter Simon Rusk’s approach.
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"No, no, no. Absolutely not," he said in his post-match press conference when asked if he was unhappy with Southampton's approach. "They can do whatever they want. For many years here, we faced teams in different approaches, and they decided they have to play. It's on us to break them.
"In those terms, many times teams have played five in the back or six and the striker has gone on our holding midfielder and there's no space, it's difficult.
"You have to break it, and we had the chances. When you review the chances for nothing, we could not score and it happened.
"Now we prepare the [FA Cup] final and now it is next time and Fulham.
"We did not concede one shot on target, and they didn't do much but we have to accept the way they play, it belongs to Simon [Rusk] and his assistant coaches. I don't agree with Ruben, we have to accept it."
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