Pep Guardiola has already outlined his respect for Southampton by allowing Norway striker Erling Haaland to put his feet up for 45 minutes in the Champions League on Wednesday night.
That is the message from Ralph Hasenhuttl as his struggling Southampton side prepare to try and tame Haaland during their Premier League meeting at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday afternoon (3pm). Haaland continues to shine after his £51million summer move from Borussia Dortmund and has racked up some staggering numbers this campaign.
His double against FC Copenhagen took his tally to 19 goals from 12 games in all competitions this season. Haaland might have wanted to stay on to complete another hat-trick against Danish opposition, but Guardiola instead took the chance to rest his goal machine for Southampton — a decision which Hasenhuttl took as a compliment.
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During his pre-match press conference, Hasenhuttl was asked if this was the strongest City he had faced since his Southampton appointment. He said: "Absolutely. I think they have very often situations where they are dominating the league and they are scoring three, four, five goals every time."
Hasenhuttl added: "They will not underestimate us. When you hear Pep talking after the [Copenhagen] game that he left players in the dressing room at half-time to be fresh for our game, then you know that he wants to come with the best possible squad against us.
"It's a kind of respect to us. It doesn't make it easier for us but, okay, we are going.
"Last year we had two good games against them, three good games. And finally, we want to be a team that that is showing their qualities."
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