Tony Pulis’s Stoke inspired Premier League set-piece focus, says Guardiola

Pep Guardiola has suggested Tony Pulis’s Stoke side have inspired ­Premier League clubs to become more direct and place greater emphasis on set pieces. The ­Manchester City head coach says he will not change his ­principles but is open to ­turning Omar Marmoush and Erling ­Haaland into a more classical strike partnership. City travel to Swansea on Wednesday night in the Carabao Cup fourth round, where they will face a Championship side eager to keep the ball. Long throw-ins and corners are becoming increasingly important in the ­Premier League. Pulis used them to his ­advantage during his Stoke ­tenure in the late-2000s, helping the side defy the odds in the top flight. “I remember a long time ago with Sean Dyche, Burnley were an incredible threat in the long balls, second balls,” Guardiola said. “Dyche is one of the best by far doing these kind of aspects. It’s not new, he did it before. Or Sam Allardyce. Or I remember when I was not here, Stoke City. “Do you remember Stoke City when they made the throws? It happened in that time. Now it’s just more and more teams doing that but then maybe Stoke was the exception. I remember when I was at Barcelona and Bayern Munich, Arsène Wenger talked about going to play at Stoke City but now it happens a lot of times. “Every manager does what they believe. I’m focused on that. I want to score from free-kicks and corners – I’m not naive, I want it – but I spend my time on what we have to do to play better, attack better and create chances, to score goals. Defensively you have to be more aggressive. “All the aspects of the game I see. Of course I pay attention but I know I’m not the manager to try to … It’s what I’ve done all my career.” Guardiola is ready to rotate his squad to deal with the hectic schedule. The 18-year-old creative ­midfielder Divine Mukasa will join the first-team squad for the Swansea game and James Trafford will return in goal but Rodri remains unavailable. Marmoush will get his first start since August but Haaland is likely to be rested. “Omar and Erling can play together,” Guardiola said. “We need a proper winger in the side but we need the players close to Erling, [to exploit] the gaps between full-backs and central defenders, and we need intensity. Omar is the best.”