England defender John Stones has said interim boss Lee Carsley is instilling a similar style of football to the one he has enjoyed under Pep Guardiola at Manchester City.
Stones will captain England in their UEFA Nations League clash against Greece at Wembley Stadium on Thursday, stepping in for forward Harry Kane who is not fit to start with a leg injury.
This week’s games — the second coming against Finland on Sunday — will be Carsley’s third and fourth since taking temporary charge following the departure of Gareth Southgate last summer. He won his opening two games against the Republic of Ireland and Finland.
When asked at a news conference on Wednesday whether he believed Carsley’s style of play could be compared to Guardiola’s, Stones said: “In ways, yes, definitely. Everyone has got their own unique style, and I think there are similarities throughout every manager in what they want.
“There are a lot of similarities between Lee and Pep in how they see the game and how they want us to play, and I think we saw that last month when we played the two games. It’s been great for me with the likenesses of how we play.”
Stones has spent eight years at City under Guardiola, during which he has won six Premier League titles as well as the Champions League, amid a host of other trophies.
