Manchester City manager Pep Guardiolaplaceholder image
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola | Getty Images
Man City are the Premier League’s in form team and Pep Guardiola has set the bar even higher for his players.
There is still no better team in the Premier League than Manchester City when they are in full flight with Pep Guardiola keen to keep the foot down.
The City boss has reeled in Arsenal and is starting to see goals from other players other than Erling Haaland. Phil Foden has rediscovered his best form and Rayan Cherki is also starting to terrorise Premier League defences.
The back four still has some room for improvement, but with Gianluigi Donnarumma to beat between the posts, opposition teams won’t find goals easy to come by even if they do breach the players in front of him.
Pep Guardiola drives Man City standards
Guardiola has never been one to rest on his laurels and has issued a thinly veiled threat to his players, as reported by BBC Sport, about the condition they are expected to return in after the Christmas break, not that they are getting any more than a day off to relax and enjoy themselves.
City are breathing down Arsenal’s neck, the last thing he will want is to ease up given how Mike Arteta’s side has crumbled under pressure in the past.
Professional footballers aren’t stupid, they will be used to having all sorts of date being recorded on an almost daily basis to prevent injury and illness affecting their performance. Even during the summer, it is rare for players to down tools completely and there is a reason why players like Haaland are as good as they are, they live the life knowing that it is a short career and that it will be worth it when they retire if they look after their bodies when they are still playing.
Chris Sutton on why Guardiola has made player threat
Speaking on BBC Radio Five Live, Christ Sutton reckons he knows why Guardiola has warned his players not to enjoy themselves too much: “Here's another possibility then. They've just won and cruised there against West Ham, wasn't it?
“An absolute cruise. And they look as if they're back and will almost look real Manchester City again at last. The last thing he wants is them to feel, we're there, we've got there. You've got to say, and I use this world advisedly, you've got to stay hungry every single possible way.
“And that's what he's kind of aiming at, isn't it? To me, don't relax now. You're on the absolute shoulder of Arsenal. You've worked really, really hard to get there. It's taken a long time to get there. Now, no easing off. And okay, you'll mention food, but is it food? Is it absolutely everything? Do not ease off in anything, in any attitude.”
There is a reason why Pep is a serial winner, and this is just the latest example why, he never lets his players think that they’ve reached the top of the mountain.
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