Pep Guardiola believes that the Premier League has three of Europe’s six strongest clubs, and that is why he will warn his Manchester City team they need to raise their game to face Chelsea tomorrow. Guardiola baulked at the idea that City, Liverpool and Chelsea are the three strongest sides in Europe at the moment, maybe with one eye on the tough Champions League challenges that lie ahead.
Pep Guardiola said “The Premier League is the strongest (league) but I think Bayern Munich and Real Madrid and PSG for the quality of the players that they have are involved in the best teams,” said the City boss.
But that does nothing to detract from the fact that his squad have been excellent in the last two months.
Pep Guardiola added: “The fact we are here because we were consistent in the toughest months — November and especially December — where there are many games and how we overcame the toughest situations that we had in the squad and problems that we had with injuries and Covid. We got results when we played really good. When we didn’t play good, like at Arsenal we were able to win. We were consistent – this is the reason why.”
But that praise for his players came with a caveat — that things can change in an instant, and theory have to be prepared for a real battle against Tuchel’s team — who have won their last two visits to the Etihad – tomorrow.
Pep Guardiola said “My opinion of Liverpool and Chelsea doesn’t change for the fact that right now we have this advantage,” he said. “They are more than excellent teams. One is the champion of Europe, the other has been our biggest rival for four seasons and they maintained their quality. If you had told me one month ago we would be in this position 10 points clear, I would say it was impossible because I couldn’t expect they would drop those points. But football changes so quick. We were 4-0 up at half time and in 20 minutes we were 4-3 against Leicester. Everything changes so quick. What you have to do is rise and increase our football, comparing the last few days. Tomorrow we have to do it if we want to compete against this team.”
Guardiola expects the title race to go to the end, knowing the gap City have opened could disappear in the space of a week or two. And he feels that having three teams in the race makes it a little tougher. City have been in two-horse races in recent years, with Liverpool and then Manchester United being their main chasers, so having a three-way challenge is different, especially as it was something he rarely experienced in previous jobs at Barcelona and Bayern Munich.
Pep Guardiola said “In Barcelona it was always [Real] Madrid, a little bit Atletico but in the period I was there Atletico were not what it was after. In Bayern, it was Dortmund. Here, the last years it was Liverpool and ourselves and now this season is Chelsea (as well). But I have to say it is because Liverpool and City were exceptional, not because the others did much wrong. United were close one year with (Jose) Mourinho and last year with (Ole Gunnar) Solskjaer. They were really good but we were exceptional. What Liverpool and City have done in the last three or four years has never been seen before in this country – more than 90 points to be champions where before it was 78, 80, 82, 86, 87. Antonio Conte started it with Chelsea when they won the league in my first season here but after Liverpool and City made a step. The other opponents did well — Chelsea, United, Tottenham — but Liverpool and City were out of this world. I’m proud after six seasons together and five years of success, in the middle of January still we are there, every single game competing. What happened (previously) the next season after being champions for the last ten champions? The last ten champions dropped the next season and dropped massively. We are there and that is an incredible credit to these exceptional players. But my job is to put things behind them and tell them the truth. That’s why we have to continue to do it.”
The Londoners will arrive at the Etihad Stadium trailing 10 points behind Guardiola’s Blues, with Liverpool tucked in just behind them. But Guardiola has warned his players that football can change very quickly, and if Thomas Tuchel’s side avenge their 1-0 beating at Stamford Bridge in September, the picture will suddenly look very different. The fact City have won 11 league games on the bounce to open up a commanding lead is remarkable given the ravages of Covid, and the quality of the opposition in the reigning European champions, plus a Liverpool team that won the title two seasons ago and has since strengthened.
