A new man might be sitting in the away dugout, but the scars of the showdown last season with Tottenham Hotspur are still in the memory. Yet, **Pep Guardiola**doubled down on the reset, wanting to talk only of the "new season" and "new vibes" as **Man City**seek to back up their strong start.
‘I have the feeling that you have to wait’
Thomas Frank is the new leader for Spurs, having taken the place of Ange Postecoglou after six and a half years as the manager of Brentford. Guardiola thinks he is guaranteed to succeed over time.
*“It’s too early to know it, but I don't have any doubt that Thomas will do an incredible job in a big club like he did at Brentford. No doubts. top class manager in in different scenarios and different alternative how they can play and I saw when he was at Brentford.”*
However, he cautioned against expecting too much from the Dane at the start. He looked back to his debut campaign with the Citizens, which ended trophyless after ten wins from his first ten matches.
“It’s funny. You know it’s a new scenario new players new atmospheres new expectations so it's always funny it's a challenge for yourself for the team but I have the feeling that you have to wait.
“I remember my first season we won ten and after we didn't win. The season was good but we didn't win. Today is everything judged in one game in a rush. Many things happen in good and bad way.”
The last meeting of these two teams at the Etihad Stadium saw Spurs slap four goals past the hosts. However, the 54-year-old is not out for revenge, acknowledging this fixture is in a different context.
“This is a completely new season and start. So what happened in the past is past. We came from two or three bad results and that the dynamic was not good but it's a new season new vibes. The game will be hopefully like last season the first 15, 20 minutes that we create a lot to get comfortable winning.”
City had lost to Bournemouth and **Brighton**in the league before the November international break, and the squad started to break down with injuries. He hopes for a cleaner bill of health this term and told the press which players he expects to be back or absent from this game with physical issues.
“Rodri* and Phil Foden last game were out because of lack of training and rhythm, they were not traveling to Palermo. They were not ready for 90 minutes against Wolves but they are ready. Josko Gvardiol and **Savinho*are the ones out.”
The Spaniard spoke more about his compatriot, who missed the rest of last season after he tore his ACL in September. He suffered a setback against **Al-Hilal**in the Club World Cup earlier this summer, and the priority for the manager is that the 2024 Ballon d'Or winner stabilises his fitness.
*“I just want consistent Rodri. That's all. I don't have any doubts about his quality. He is still the best player in the world. I don't have any doubts. It's just consistency. the consistent is at trainings, weeks, trainings, weeks, games, minutes, and after everything will be fine.”*
‘I want the team fit’
Guardiola watched his men beat **Wolves**4-0 to top the table by Saturday evening. The opposition did not win a single preseason outing, letting go of Rayan Ait-Nouri and Matheus Cunha over the summer. So, for many reasons, he is not allowing an emphatic triumph to make him lose his head.
“I don't know one game. So I like a lot of things I'm seeing in daily basis I would say in the trainings and be and behaviours I like it but I would like to be a magician to know what's going to happen.”
Ait-Nouri made his debut with James Trafford at the back. The goalkeeper spent two years at Burnley, where he helped the Clarets return to the top flight with a record breaking tally of 16 goals conceded in the Championship, and he is livening up the place upon his return to Manchester.
“We decide tomorrow or tonight after dinner. New players always bring new energy. I changed four or five six times the staff always bringing any ideas players are the same so and James bring his youth and desire to play in the club where he grew up. I’m happy for the performance but I said many times it us the first game. So just be consistent in the way we play it and improve like we have done.”
Ruben Dias has put pen to paper for a new deal, and John Stones is fit. These two central defenders have been integral to success since the start of the decade, but the manager made clear that he needs all of his defensive options to stay as fit as they can to avoid the woes from the previous campaign.
“Josko Gvardiol* and Manuel Akanji and Nathan Aké* *and Abdukodir Khusanov. All I want all I ask in the beginning the season said many times is always I want the team fit. There will be injuries but not as much what happened last season so just players to play and compete that's only what I want.”*
He hopes that Pepijn Ljinders, his latest assistant coach, can also help to hold the group together.
“We are really pleased. I'm really pleased working. I've been so lucky to have an incredible people around me that teach me a lot, inspire me with his advices, his knowledge, his vision what happened during the day. Pep is no different. He brings incredible energy knowledge is incredible work ethic.”
Two more arrivals at the other end of the pitch, Rayan Cherki and Tijjani Reijnders, have signed for a total of £80 million. These transfers were a response to the struggles of the squad in a summer where they are the only 'Big Six' outfit to have not spent over £50 million on buying a single attacker.
“Absolutely not. So I know they do it to us, but I will not be in that game. So everyone do what they believe is the best for the team. I know our spend net in 10 11 years is amazing. You just take a look. If you spend it because you sell otherwise you're not the spend. So have been really good in that team. You just take a look if you are interested. So I've been really good that why we are sustainable.”