Riyad Mahrez has said it took some time to adapt to how Manchester City play the game under Pep Guardiola.
Mahrez joined from Leicester in 2018 and went onto win the domestic treble with the Cityzens in his debut season, but says he found it difficult to adjust to how the City boss wants him to play.
As reported by the Mirror, Mahrez said that he had to adjust to the 'intensity' under Guardiola. The Algeria star featured 27 times for City last season, but 13 of those appearances were from the bench, and Mahrez is hoping that his new found sense of a different footballing style will help him stay as a vital part of Guardiola's plans.
"At City it's more about pressing and a very high effort and intensity," Mahrez said. "His concern was about my work-rate first, because at Leicester it was more of a team rate where we were trying to counter. It's taken me some time to have it myself and to put it in my head and game, but I think now it's good.”
The 28-year old did not think his game needed much improvement, but has since insisted that the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss has helped him see otherwise.
"I didn’t think I needed the adaptation until I came here and started training. It's more about the adaptation of the game and of the partnership with the players and again it took me some time as well."
Mahrez's influence will be key as the champions hope to catch Liverpool, who have had an unbeaten start to the season under Jurgen Klopp.
He has featured eight times so far, but is emerging as one of City's most important players, and if they are to catch Liverpool, they will need his talent and experience to help make up the ground lost.
Source :
90min
