“It’s not the right way to go out and win a football match” - Manchester City star slams Guardiola’s defensive strategy against Arsenal

Manchester City defender John Stones has questioned Pep Guardiola's choice to park the bus during their Premier League clash against Arsenal. The Englishman branded the defensive approach in City's 1-1 draw at the Emirates last month as netheir planned nor characteristic of their usual style.

Erling Haaland gave Manchester City the lead in the ninth minute on the counter, and City sat back for the rest of the match. The tactic, however, didn't pay dividends, as Gabriel Martinelli equalized in injury time for Arsenal.

Manchester City finished the game with 32.8% possession - the lowest recorded in a top-flight league match by any team managed by Guardiola, according to Opta.

Speaking to talkSPORT, Stones highlighted how difficult it was for them to 'soak up' pressure for such a long period of time and emphasized the need to return to their traditional style of play. He said:

“No, it wasn't planned and I think it's definitely not in our DNA as a team to go out and do that. I believe it's not the right way to go out and win a football match by sitting on the edge of your box.

“I've played against it enough to know how frustrating it is and how difficult it is to soak up all that pressure for a long period of the game. It was a mixture of things, definitely, not a tactical kind of set-up from us. More of feeling the game and… I don't know, it's a difficult one for me to say.

“Looking back at it now it's very uncharacteristic of us for how we've played over the ten years that I've been there and we got a result out of it. I think next time we definitely have to go there and play our game.”

Guardiola's second-lowest possession recorded in a top-flight league match was also against Arsenal at the Emirates. Manchester City recorded 36.1% possession on that occasion, although they won the match 3-1.

"We don't want it" — Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola on lowest possession stats in career after 1-1 draw with Arsenal

Guardiola himself admitted that he didn't love the fact that they sat back during the 1-1 draw with Arsenal. He told reporters after the match.

"I cannot live in this country with another record, you know. I'm so proud of that."

He added:

"We don't want it, but sometimes it happens. One time in 10 years is not bad, right? I suffer. I don't like it," he told reporters. "I want the ball away, away now."

Manchester City are currently fifth in the Premier League table with 13 points, while Arsenal sit at the top with 16 points.