Pep Guardiola
Manchester City closed the gap on Arsenal at the top of the Premier League table with a decisive 3-0 victory over Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium. The win marked Pep Guardiola’s 1,000th performance, a milestone he celebrated with a triumph over one of City’s fiercest rivals. However, Guardiola remained focused on the bigger picture, urging his players to continue improving if they are to compete for silverware this season.
Pep Guardiola said: “When we lost at Aston Villa or lost at the beginning of the season, I said the team had a good vibe but don’t ask me why. The reason why is look at the bench today and even Khusa (Abdukodir Khusanov) who was not selected. Last season we couldn’t do that. We lost energy with the players we fielded. I think the four Premier Leagues in a row affected us in a really bad way. We were not like what I think this team has shown in many many years. It can be understandable a little bit. We tried to push each other but we were not able to do it. Even with that, we finished third when normally in the Premier League in that situation you would finish 10th. We never gave up and in the last 15 to 20 games we were the best in the Premier League.”
Guardiola’s reflection on past performances revealed his awareness of the challenges faced by the team, particularly the energy drain from consecutive league titles. Despite these challenges, Manchester City managed to secure a respectable third-place finish last season, a testament to their resilience.
Pep Guardiola continued: “Since the Club World Cup, I felt something different in general and last season was not one reason. Everyone was involved and me the first and that’s why. In October, November you don’t win Premier Leagues. Teams win the Premier League when every month the team is growing and when that happens you arrive at the end fighting for the title. It’s not the team who is top in September or October – you have to grow. You can be top but you have to be better and better. We talk a lot and we have the feeling that we are in that way. It’s nice to still have the feeling that we are back in terms of many things.”
Guardiola emphasized the importance of continuous growth throughout the season, noting that early success in the league does not guarantee a title. The manager highlighted the team’s evolving dynamics since the Club World Cup, expressing optimism about their current trajectory.
Pep Guardiola added: “I didn’t like the second half against Bournemouth or the second half against Liverpool or the last half-an-hour against Dortmund. It wasn’t like the first half. This is the point we have to grow as a team but this was an important week. Bournemouth came second in the table, Dortmund are always dangerous in the Champions League and then with Liverpool it was a fantastic week for us.”
Despite the recent victories, Guardiola acknowledged areas for improvement, particularly in maintaining consistency throughout matches. He recognized the significance of the past week’s achievements against strong opponents, underscoring the potential for further development as the season progresses.
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