Pep Guardiola reacts to key member of Man City backroom staff leaving

Pep Guardiola indicated that Manchester City will have replace outgoing coach Carlos Vicens if they are to maintain recent improvements.

The Blues have become the best in the league at set-pieces after Vicens was promoted from the academy for this season and given the responsibility for dead ball situations, taking on the role from Nicolas Jover who joined Arsenal. City are on course for the best record of attacking and defending set-pieces in Premier League history, and enhanced an already impressive record with goals from corners against Newcastle.

Vicens is leaving after just a year with Guardiola's backroom staff to take on a new role as head coach of Dutch Eredivisie side Heracles Almelo in time for the new campaign. The former under-18 coach at City is taking on the new challenge, leaving Guardiola without the man who has revolutionised their record with set-pieces.

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The City manager stressed that it is vital to have a coach looking at these details in the game, suggesting that the Blues will look to replace Vicens rather than just making do with the existing personnel.

"Of course it’s important, he said. "The taker is vital – we have strong players and Carlos made it easy, we believe we have the spaces. The second goal was inspiration from Kevin [De Bruyne] and [Ilkay] Gundo[gan]."

Guardiola has previously credited the arrival of assistant Juanma Lillo in 2020 as well with helping him and the team following the departures of previous No.2s Domenec Torrent and Mikel Arteta.

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