- Pep Guardiola explained why Tijjani Reijnders started
- Man City needed more runners against Brentford
- Reijnders helped City add threat inside the box
Manchester City needed more than control against Brentford, with Pep Guardiola’s side also relying on runners, movement and presence inside the box to turn dominance into goals.
Pep Guardiola’s men eventually secured a 3-0 victory at the Etihad Stadium. However, the first half showed why the manager wanted a specific type of profile in midfield.
City controlled large parts of the game, yet Brentford stayed compact and forced the Carabao Cup winners before Jermey Doku scored a screamer in the 60th minute.
Likewise, Guardiola praised the Belgian international for his recent rise in form. However, the media was also curious about why the Catalan manager started Tijjani Reijnders despite the Dutchman’s last Premier League start dating back to January.
Pep Guardiola explains why Tijjani Reijnders started
Guardiola was asked by beIN Sports what he changed at half-time after City had struggled to break Brentford down before the interval.
The manager indicated that he just asked the players to be in the box more. Guardiola’s suggestion worked with the Sky Blues scoring three goals by the end of the game.
“No, just more players in the box. To score a goal, you have to be there. The first half, there were not enough players there,” Guardiola told beIN Sports.
Likewise, he linked that decision to the decision to start Reijnders, and the gaffer was happy with the Dutchman’s contributions throughout the game.
“I wanted players in the box, I want runners, and Tijjani is extraordinary with that. To the box and he had two or three shots, intensity, and he played it really good in the second balls,” Guardiola said.
Reijnders gives City something different in midfield
Reijnders took four shots in the whole game, standing second with Doku on volume. Erling Haaland had the most shots against Brentford with five.
Despite three of the Dutchman’s shots being blocked and one being off target, the midfielder’s profile still supported City’s overall strategy through the game.
The 27-year-old made sure to push more bodies inside the box while the wingers were creating down the flanks.
Guardiola’s demand says a lot about City’s title run-in
City are at a stage of the season where control alone is not enough, especially with Arsenal still ahead in the title race.
Against Brentford, City eventually turned pressure into goals through Doku, Haaland and Omar Marmoush.
However, Guardiola’s focus on runners and presence in the box suggests he knows the Citizens can’t afford sterile dominance at this stage.
Reijnders may not always be the headline player, but his profile gives Guardiola a specific use case. In tight matches, one extra runner can make a huge difference when chasing a title.
