EPL 2018-19: 5 Talking Points - Manchester City 3-1 Everton 

#1 Pep Guardiola will play his brand of football, no matter what

He only knows one way of playing but that is the best way for him. Guardiola won't shy away from possession football.

There have been questions raised on the brand of football that Guardiola introduces. Being a part of Cruyff's dream team, Guardiola has learned to see the game with a perspective that a very few can. When he came to Manchester City, a lot of people and pundits challenged him to play possession football in England. Many claimed that he won't win 5-0 and 6-0 against teams like Southampton.

But fast forward two seasons, Pep is doing exactly what people predicted would be unsuccessful. Play possession football and win. He has gone to Fulham, Southampton or anywhere else and won by big margins with the same style.

Last week, when he came up against a tactically brilliant coach in Maurizio Sarri, his team lost. Sarri showed one way that the possession-based style could be defeated. He locked his defenses down and hit City on the few opportunities that were created. There were people who claimed that his brand of football needs to change as others had found the flaws in it. The same happened when City drew with Liverpool, endless passing was criticized.

Today again, Everton locked their defenses down to counter possession play and was successful to some extent. But Pep stuck to his style yet again even after an underwhelming first half. City came out with the same style with more intent to win the game. Nobody could teach possession football better than this man and nobody could play it better either. The flaws of the team might have been exposed here and there but there is nothing wrong with the style.

Guardiola will not be coaxed into changing his brand of football, neither by the fans nor by the English media, especially when he has forced the English national team to play the way he taught them.