Man City have no time to savour breaking records, says Pep Guardiola
Pep Guardiola claims Manchester City have no time to enjoy being record breakers.
The Premier League leaders have won their last 20 matches in all competitions, a new record for an English top-flight side.
It is also the third best winning sequence across Europe’s recognised ‘top five’ leagues, behind only the 23 in a row notched up by Bayern Munich last year and Real Madrid’s 22 successive victories in 2014. Yet with City chasing glory on four fronts this season, Guardiola says he cannot take this in now.
The City manager said: “We don’t have time. There are many games, every three days a game, so we have to rest and think of the next one.
“We are delighted with what we have done so far, we cannot deny it. If no team has done it before it means how difficult it is. But, at the end, what counts in the world is if you lift the trophies or not. Still we cannot sit down on the sofa and say how good everything is. There is a lot of work to do and I have signals that we can still improve.”
Manchester City celebrate defeating West Ham
West Ham manager David Moyes described City as the best side in Europe after the London club were beaten at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday, but Guardiola says that accolade is still to be earned.
He said: “The best team in Europe is Bayern Munich because they won everything, they are the best. In England the champions are Liverpool, they are the best. The crown, if you want to take it, you have to win. In February, March no one is champion.”
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City are 12 points clear at the top of the Premier League and Guardiola feels the coming week will be crucial to their title hopes.
Starting with Wolves on Tuesday, they face three home games in the next 10 days with second-placed Manchester United and Southampton the other visitors.
Guardiola said: “There are 36 points to play for – a lot of points. Every team can lose and lose and lose in a row, in one week. You can drop points in one week.
“There are tough opponents. When you have 10 points left, or 12 of 15, it is another issue but, with 36, it is many.
“We know how important this week is, with Wolves, United and Southampton before travelling to Fulham, these three games at home. If we are able to do what we want to do we will make an incredible step but we have to do many things still.”
Wolves beat City twice last term and, even though Nuno Espirito Santo’s team have not enjoyed as consistent a season this time around, Guardiola remains wary of their threat.
He said: “The history against them shows us how tough it is and we know it perfectly. We know exactly the type of game we have to play – to be so intense but, at the same time, calm.
“They play with the ambition and patience to punish you. You have to be so clever in the way you play because in the last years it has always been so tough for the quality, for the structure they have and this will not be an exception.”
PA
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