Leroy Sane has offered an insight into how Pep Guardiola “woke us up a bit” with his half-time team talk.
Manchester City beat Huddersfield 3-0 on Sunday to remain just four points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool after 23 games.
They were insipid in the opening 45 minutes, having as many shots on target as their managerless opponents, and misplacing 54 passes – their second highest total in any half of Premier League football this season.
A second-half improvement meant City looked comfortable in the end with a 3-0 win, as Sane assisted and scored.
The winger revealed Guardiola had demanded an increase in intensity during the interval.
The German winger said: “The second half everyone could definitely see we were quicker and better and in important positions and controlled the game. It is easier when you can play like that and you can push forward more.
“The boss said at half-time that we can’t play the way we were playing and that we had to get better.
“They were putting us under some pressure too and we know in the Premier League that a goal can come out of nowhere and at 1-1 it would be difficult to get the win.
“So he woke us up a bit to play our game quicker and better and help us find where the space is.”