Martin convinced he is still right man to lead to Southampton

Martin convinced he is still right man to lead to Southampton  Shot 26/10/2024 but embargoed until 28th  Etihad Stadium, Manchester, UK

Transcript

00:00It's obviously been hard to win games this season, the standard, but does that make Tuesday

00:03even more important than a cup match?

00:05I think, yes, it's the most important game we've had this season. We need to try and

00:07win, get to a quarter-final of a cup and we need to build on today. We'll play the strongest

00:14team available to us in terms of fitness and readiness. Yes, it's a big, big game for us.

00:21Does it mean 11 changes again or will it be a different approach?

00:24No, it definitely won't be 11 changes. There will be some, I think, such is the nature

00:27of it and we have two big games after that, but this is the most important one, so we'll

00:30play the team that we feel is the most ready to win.

00:32What would you say to those guys who will come into the team about their opportunity

00:36to take a claim and maybe get their first goal or whatever it is this season?

00:39Yes, I think it's going to be big for all of us, not just the players coming into the

00:43team. We'll show them all the stuff from today that they did so brilliantly, some stuff we

00:47need to improve on, and then they need to put it in practice at home where the expectation

00:52is a bit different because those are the games that are going to be so important to us.

00:58How strong was the 21-21 line-up against Stoke?

01:13Yes, I think if we want to play any of them guys they need to be ready rather than travelling

01:16up here and sit on the bench. I think we tried to give some guys some minutes that maybe

01:20come into consideration for Tuesday and just to find some rhythm really. So, yes, we watched

01:26the game in the hotel on the iPads and the laptops last night. Charlie came off as a

01:32precaution because he felt a little niggle, but the other guys, yes, they did what they

01:36needed to do and they got some minutes.

01:38How do senior players react to that?

01:42Well, they have a choice. I said that on Thursday, they have a choice to play or not. It's theirs

01:45always because they're men and I would never hold it against them if they chose not to.

01:49I tell them I think it's the best way for them to try and get back into the team, give

01:52them the reasons, then they have an understanding. They either agree or disagree and then they'll

01:56make the choice and they all made the right choice for us, I think, and for them and it

02:00puts them in a better place for sure.

02:01Finally for me, one of the players, I'm not sure if you've spoken about this before, forgive

02:06me, but Arnold Bellacoccia, a Germany international, a talented player. What's the situation there?

02:12Exactly the same as it was last time I answered the question.

02:14I'll have to go and look.

02:16All good? Cheers.