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Tag: Pep Guardiola

  • EPL: Man City boss, Guardiola speaks on losing title to Arsenal

    EPL: Man City boss, Guardiola speaks on losing title to Arsenal

    Manchester City, boss Pep Guardiola has gingered his boys to keep fighting until it’s clear the English Premier League title is no longer within their reach.

    The Spaniard continued to urge his boys to fight till the end.

    Despite trailing league leaders Arsenal by 8 points, the Manchester City gaffer made it clear that his team will never give up in its pursuit of the gunners as regards the title race.

    Guardiola made this comment while addressing journalists at a pre-match conference on Wednesday in the United Kingdom

    He said the moment it becomes obvious they cannot win the league, the Citizens would prepare their minds to try and compete again next season.

    Manchester trade tackles with Chelsea on Thursday, (today) as they look to reduce the gap between them and Chelsea to just three points.

    Manchester are currently eight points adrift of Arsenal but could close the gap to five points with a victory over Chelsea.

    “My target always as a manager is to try to be yourself and be better than the opponent, and after if you concede one shot and they score and we can’t score, you have to accept it and move forward.

    “What I want to see is us still fighting, not giving up, not now, until the last chance, until the last drop of water we can fight to win the Premier League, and the moment we are not able to win the Premier League we have to be ready to compete next season,” he said.

  • EPL: Why we drew Everton 1-1 at home – Pep Guardiola

    EPL: Why we drew Everton 1-1 at home – Pep Guardiola

    Manchester City boss, Pep Guardiola, has revealed the factors that led to his side playing out a 1-1 draw with Everton.

    Guardiola has blamed the draw on the defensive tactics employed by his boys in the game last night.

    According to him, City might have drawn but it feels like they lost all three points in the encounter.

    Erling Haaland, scored his 21st goal of the season but Everton’s Demarai Gray equalized with a stunning finish with 11 minutes to go in the match.

    The Citizens dropped two points and now trail Arsenal by 7 points ion the Log.

    Arsenal would eventually inflict a 4-2 defeat on Brighton to open up a seven points gap on the league standing.

    According to Guardiola, City played well but were poor defensively.

    He said “We played a real good game but they made a fantastic goal with the first shot on target they had.

    “The result was not expected but this is football.

    “Everton’s approach against us was different to Liverpool, they broke the rhythm but this is the Premier League. It is a strategy for the opponent. It is difficult against eight players who are in their 18-yard box all the time,” Guardiola said.

    Manchester City’s next game will be against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Thursday January 5th, with both teams slugging it out again three days later in the FA fixture at the Ethihad.

  • Leeds vs Manchester City: Guardiola heaps praises on Rico Lewis

    Leeds vs Manchester City: Guardiola heaps praises on Rico Lewis

    Manchester City boss,  Pep Guardiola has hailed winger  Rico Lewis after his side’s  Premier League win over Leeds on Wednesday night.

    Rodri scored City’s only goal in the first half before golden boy Haaland added two more in the second half to complete the rout.

    But Guardiola has now heaped the praises on the effort of 18-year-old Lewis who was surprisingly added to the starting XI despite the availability of Joao Cancelo and Kyle Walker for selection.

    The teenage sensation, played very well for City but was substituted out in the 68th minute.

    In the post match conference. Guardiola noted that  it was impossible not to hand Rico Lewis his first Premier League start at Leeds after his ‘man of the match’ performance vs Liverpool.

    He was impressive in a dual role of right-back and inverted midfielder against Liverpool in the Carabao Cup before Christmas, although his inclusion then was more due to the late returns of Kyle Walker and Joao Cancelo from the World Cup, with the expectation both would return for City against Leeds on Wednesday night.

    “Without Rico, what we do would be impossible. Defensively, he is so smart, understands the game and is so clever,” he told Amazon Prime.

    “That’s why he helps us to do our dynamics so much better. He has played really, really well. He’s an absolute reality for us.”

    “The way he played against Liverpool, would be unfair not to let him play again,” Guardiola said.

  • EPL: Guardiola ignores Philips for returning to training overweight

    EPL: Guardiola ignores Philips for returning to training overweight

    Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola has knocked England Midfielder, Kalvin Philips for returning to the squad overweight after the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

    Guardiola said Philips cannot train because he’s too big.

    The enterprising midfielder missed out in action in Manchester City’s first game after the World Cup game against Liverpool at the Etihad.

    Manchester City won 3-2 to progress to the next round.

    Guardiola told the press on Friday ahead of their Premier League game on Boxing Day, “He is not injured, he arrived overweight.

    “I don’t know [why he is overweight]. He didn’t arrive in the conditions to [take part] in training sessions and to play.

    “That’s why he cannot play.”

  • Pep Guardiola extends contract at Manchester City

    Pep Guardiola extends contract at Manchester City

    Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has signed a two-year contract extension that will keep him at the reigning English Premier League (EPL) champions until 2025, the club announced on Wednesday.

    The 51-year-old has guided Manchester City to four league titles, four League Cups and the FA Cup since taking over in 2016 and his deal was set to expire in the summer.

    “I am delighted that Pep’s journey with Manchester City Football Club will continue,” club chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak disclosed in a statement.

    “He has already contributed so much to the success and fabric of this organisation, and it’s exciting to think what might be possible given the energy, hunger and ambition that he clearly still has.”

    Guardiola’s current spell at Manchester City is his longest in charge of a single club since he began his managerial career in 2008.

    “I am so pleased to be staying at Manchester City for another two years…,” Guardiola said.

    “I know the next chapter of this club will be amazing for the next decade. It happened over the last 10 years, and it will happen in the next 10 years because this club is so stable.

    “From day one I felt something special being here. I cannot be in a better place.”

    The Spaniard managed boyhood club FC Barcelona from 2008 to 2012 and spent three years in charge of German giants Bayern Munich before joining Manchester City.

    Manchester City are second in the league with 32 points from 14 matches, five points behind leaders Arsenal with the season paused for the World Cup in Qatar.

  • Guardiola rejects claims on Haaland joining Real Madrid

    Guardiola rejects claims on Haaland joining Real Madrid

    Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola says reports in Spain that Erling Haaland’s contract contains a special release clause for him to join Real Madrid in 2024 are “not true”.

    Speaking after the 22-year-old Norway striker had continued his incredible start at City by hitting two goals against Copenhagen in the Champions League, Guardiola denied rumours that Madrid have engineered an exclusive agreement to sign him.

    “It’s not true,” Guardiola said. “He has not got a release clause for Real Madrid, or any other team.

    “Am I annoyed by the rumours? No, absolutely not. Rumours, and people talking, you cannot control it – so always we have to worry about what we can control.

    “The important thing is that he has adapted [since joining City] really well. I have the feeling he is incredibly happy here, and this is the most important thing.”

  • EPL: Rivaldo predicts winner of Manchester City, Manchester United clash

    EPL: Rivaldo predicts winner of Manchester City, Manchester United clash

    Brazil legend Rivaldo has predicted the winner of the English Premier League derby clash between champions Manchester City and Manchester United.

    The Brazil  World Cup winner believes that Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City will carry the day and end Erik ten Hag’s side unbeaten run in the EPL.

    Manchester United and Manchester City face off in a derby when club football returns to action this weekend.

    Manchester City welcomes the Red Devils at the Etihad Stadium in their first match following the break.

    Manchester City is in the second position behind Arsenal in the league table with 17 points.

    They have won five and drawn two of their seven matches so far and are only one point behind table-toppers Arsenal.

    Manchester United made a poor start to their life under Erik ten Hag, losing both of their first two league games.

    However, they have since won each of their four games and now sit fifth on the table, Rivaldo said.

    “The Citizens are much more in tune with their style of play while the Red Devils – with new manager Erik ten Hag – are still looking for their best and most effective system, so I see a Manchester City win here with the in-form Erling Haaland giving the visitors’ defense a lot of headaches,” he told Betfair.

    Rivaldo Vítor Borba Ferreira, known as Rivaldo, is a Brazilian former footballer who played mainly as an attacking midfielder but also as a second striker, and on occasion deployed as a wide midfielder or as a winger.

  • EPL: I knew Haaland would deliver – Pep Guardiola

    EPL: I knew Haaland would deliver – Pep Guardiola

    Manchester City boss, Pep Guardiola, has heaped praises on Erling Haaland for his performance saying that his hattrick against Crystal Palace was  not a surprise.

    Manchester City was trailing Crystal Palace by 2-0 before perfecting the comeback in the second half of the encounter through goals from Bernando Silva and Haaland’s hattrick.

    Guardiola said Haaland earned his goals by remaining focused during a quiet first half against Crystal Palace.

    Speaking at his post-match press conference, Guardiola hailed Haaland, saying his reliability in front of goal means Man City will always have a chance in games even if they fall behind.

    “I would say thanks to me for my brilliant ideas, but I would say Erling has done this since he was born,” Guardiola said of Haaland’s hat-trick.

    “Always has done this in his life, at Salzburg, BVB (Borussia Dortmund), always scoring goals. These teams who defend deep he has an incredible sense of goal. The three goals, especially the last one, the first one as well, good goals.”

    He added, “I will tell you the numbers, we scored a lot of goals in previous seasons. It was different from the quality of the players we have, but we scored lots of goals. The problem we have now is we concede a lot, before was not the case. We have a lot of time. Right now we struggle to do the uncomfortable things we have to do but still don’t do it. It is important to learn the lesson, win the game.”

  • EPL: Guardiola heaps praises on De Bruyne after City’s demolition of Bournemouth

    EPL: Guardiola heaps praises on De Bruyne after City’s demolition of Bournemouth

    Manchester City boss, Pep Guardiola, has heaped praises on Midfielder, Kelvin De Bruyne, for his heroics against Bournemouth at the Etihad.

    Manchester City put four goals past Bournemouth to secure another three points in the English Premier League on Saturday afternoon.

    Goals from IIkay Gundogan, Kevin de Bruyne, Phil Foden and Jefferson Lerma (own goal) gave the Premier League champions all three points against the visitors.

    In his post match analysis, Guardiola thanked De Bruyne for inspiring the team to victory.

    “As a team, we did a really good performance,” Guardiola said at his post-match press conference.

    “Bournemouth were incredibly well structured defensively, but not just defensively offensively as well.

    “They attract you with the short passes and then switch the play. Quite similar movement to how Tottenham try to do it.

    “Defensively, they defend so deep and narrow, you have to go outside.

    “We started really well, with three or four corners and we had chances.

    “After we scored one or two, they don’t want to attack and we had to be patient.

    “It is not easy for many reasons. We made a really good performance again.”

    “I think Kevin, since last season, before he was just concerned with assists, now he is enjoying winning games and scoring goals,” Guardiola added.

    “The pleasure to score goals is big. It is important that he scored a goal.

    “When I was in Munich he was in Wolfsburg and I think he was the best player in the Bundesliga.

    “He was a really good player before we arrived and he will be good after us.

    “The goal was good. There was no space with this type of shot and it was an incredible goal.

    “It was an incredible performance, the assist for Phil came from him.

    “Against Bournemouth, it is difficult to do because they defend the box and they hold their line really well.”

  • Only Liverpool will challenge Man City for EPL title – Guardiola

    Only Liverpool will challenge Man City for EPL title – Guardiola

    Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola has posited that only Liverpool will rival his club for the English Premier League title next season.

    Guardiola made this statement after his team lost 3-1 to Liverpool in the Community Shield on Saturday.

    The Man City boss said that both teams take action on the counter and he is pretty sure the battle will continue.

    “It’s happened in the past years and especially because of the games that both sides provoke,

    “Both make actions in the counter-attacks and I’m pretty sure it will continue (Battle between Liverpool and City). There are many, many teams in the Premier League that can reach this level, the consistency we’ve had in the previous seasons.

    He also stated that he is very confident about what Liverpool has done.

    “There is no reason not to be confident. No reason. What these guys have done, not just in the Premier League but the cups and Europe.

    “I don’t know what will happen this season but I’m sure I know these guys. I have no doubts for one second. We lost a final we would’ve preferred to win but respect to the opponent and we know the standards and reach these, maintaining them as always.”

    Josep “Pep” Guardiola Sala is a Spanish professional football manager and former player, who is the current manager of Premier League club Manchester City