Pep Guardiola reacted with surprise that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer might suggest that Manchester City will stop United’s counter attacks by foul means in the derby on Wednesday night.

“I never prepare a game in 10 seasons as a manager thinking about these kind of things, never… When a player wants to attack, we have to be honest.

“Of course there is contact, there are fouls, but when it happens (it is because) you arrive late and that is why there are referees, to make yellow cards or red cards or whatever they decide.

“I prepare to do our own game, that is what I want, knowing of course the opponent, but I never said I’m going to do that to punish them or cancel them by making fouls. Never.”

To defend Guardiola, some have pointed to the fact that City have conceded fewer fouls than any other side in the Premier League. But when you add the context of how long opponents have spent in possession (for City, only 973 minutes of the 3060 minutes played this season according to Opta), Guardiola’s men concede more fouls per minute without the ball than any other team.

Must just be a coincidence then, Pep. And last season too…

PL table ranked by fouls per minute spent out of possession
All stats courtesy of Opta

 

1) Manchester City – 0.299 fouls per minute out of possession
Fouls conceded (rank in PL): 291 (20th)
Possession conceded (%): 31.79
Possession conceded (mins): 973

2) Arsenal – 0.296
Fouls conceded (rank in PL): 378 (9th)
Possession conceded (%): 41.74
Possession conceded (mins): 1277

3) Manchester United – 0.283
Fouls conceded (rank in PL): 395 (=5th)
Possession conceded (%): 45.61
Possession conceded (mins): 1396

4). Tottenham – 0.277
Fouls conceded (rank in PL): 351 (12th)
Possession conceded (%): 40.2
Possession conceded (mins): 1266

5) Chelsea – 0.275
Fouls conceded (rank in PL): 311 (=18th)
Possession conceded (%): 35.83
Possession conceded (mins): 1129

6) Everton – 0.255
Fouls conceded (rank in PL): 396 (3rd)
Possession conceded (%): 49.29
Possession conceded (mins): 1553

7) Liverpool – 0.252
Fouls conceded (rank in PL): 303 (19th)
Possession conceded (%): 38.17
Possession conceded (mins): 1202

=8) Huddersfield – 0.236
Fouls conceded (rank in PL): 390 (8th)
Possession conceded (%): 52.53
Possession conceded (mins): 1655

=8) Watford – 0.236
Fouls conceded (rank in PL): 401 (2nd)
Possession conceded (%): 53.91
Possession conceded (mins): 1698

10) Brighton – 0.235
Fouls conceded (rank in PL): 430 (1st)
Possession conceded (%): 57.97
Possession conceded (mins): 1826

11) Fulham – 0.234
Fouls conceded (rank in PL): 392 (7th)
Possession conceded (%): 53.09
Possession conceded (mins): 1672

12) Wolves – 0.226
Fouls conceded (rank in PL): 365 (10th)
Possession conceded (%): 52.79
Possession conceded (mins): 1615

13) Southampton – 0.218
Fouls conceded (rank in PL): 393 (6th)
Possession conceded (%): 57.32
Possession conceded (mins): 1806

14) Leicester – 0.209
Fouls conceded (rank in PL): 324 (15th)
Possession conceded (%): 49.23
Possession conceded (mins): 1551

15) Newcastle – 0.207
Fouls conceded (rank in PL): 395 (=5th)
Possession conceded (%): 60.43
Possession conceded (mins): 1904

16) Crystal Palace – 0.202
Fouls conceded (rank in PL): 355 (11th)
Possession conceded (%): 55.91
Possession conceded (mins): 1761

17) West Ham – 0.190
Fouls conceded (rank in PL): 311 (=18th)
Possession conceded (%): 52.08
Possession conceded (mins): 1641

18) Bournemouth – 0.182
Fouls conceded (rank in PL): 312 (16th)
Possession conceded (%): 54.53
Possession conceded (mins): 1718

19) Burnley – 0.178
Fouls conceded (rank in PL): 335 (14th)
Possession conceded (%): 59.63
Possession conceded (mins): 1878

20) Cardiff – 0.167
Fouls conceded (rank in PL): 346 (13th)
Possession conceded (%): 65.8
Possession conceded (mins): 2073