Manchester City narrowly beat Brentford 2-1 at home in the fourth round of the Premier League on Saturday night
, Manager Pep Guardiola attended the post-match press conference to comment on the game and spoke specifically about Harland's form and how he has been a great asset to Brentford
and head coach Thomas Frank's thoughts.
On Harland, Guardiola said, "Harland showed his professionalism and resilience by choosing to play and performing well despite his personal grief. We were all very supportive of him and helped him through it. When he stands on the pitch and goes one-on-one with an opponent's center back, he is an unstoppable weapon. We are happy to see him find himself in this way and contribute two goals to the team."
For Brentford
The performance was highly praised by Guardiola: "Brentford
They are a very good team and they caused us a lot of trouble in the first half. They executed their tactics very well, whether it was high-pressure pressing, long passes and second attacks, they made us feel the pressure. Their players were fast and skillful, especially Vissar and Mbewumo who were impressive in the transition between offense and defense. I must commend them, they are a worthy opponent."
Speaking of Brentford
When head coach Thomas Frank, Guardiola said: "Frank is a very good coach, he has excellent tactical knowledge and clinical command ability. He is able to adjust his tactics according to the game situation and keep the team competitive. I believe he will coach a European powerhouse club in the future, it's just a matter of time."
Guardiola was cautious about Harland's nine goals in the first four rounds and his team's four consecutive victories: "Harland is in great form at the moment and this is one of his best periods. But we have to stay calm because the league has only just started and the games ahead will be even tougher. We need to keep working hard and stay united and focused to go further." At the same time, he also mentioned how the gradual alignment of the squad has helped the team, "With the return of players such as Gündoğan, Walker and Stones, our strength has been further improved. This will help us achieve better results in the coming matches."
