Why Pep Guardiola is right about one of the keys to Man City success

Sitting in the media theatre at the City Football Academy on Friday afternoon, Pep Guardiola faced a barrage of Erling Haaland-related questions.

The Manchester City manager was delivering his pre-match press conference ahead of City's Premier League meeting with Southampton on Saturday but, as has been the case for much of the season, there was only really one player that reporters wanted him to speak about.

Guardiola acknowledged that reality, giving credit to the rest of his players - some of whom can boast four Premier League medals - for the way they have accepted the superstar status of their new teammate. Placed in another dressing room, the 22-year-old striker might not have enjoyed the wildly successful start to his Premier League career that he has at City.

READ MORE: Pep Guardiola credits Man City dressing room for Erling Haaland start

"We are fortunate that the guys who are here accept it perfectly," Pep said of the attention constantly being given to Haaland.

"There are other guys who would not like it. Guys who had won four or five Premier Leagues and yet all the talk was about Erling? They would not like it in other clubs."

Guardiola is right, of course, but the attitudes of his players should come as no surprise. This is just the latest example of City reaping the rewards of the culture that Guardiola and the club's executives have worked so hard to create since the coach arrived at the club in 2016.

For City's players, the team really does come first. Aymeric Laporte played through the final stretch of last season in a considerable amount of pain, determined not to add to City's already-serious injury crisis in defence.

His selfless decision ultimately worsened his knee injury to the extent that he