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Pep Guardiola, the manager of Manchester City, has cautioned that every club is susceptible to experiencing a crisis like the one that has affected their rivals, Manchester United, in recent weeks.
The City team easily won 3-0 against their rivals at Old Trafford on Sunday. This added more stress on Erik ten Hag after a 3-0 defeat at home to Newcastle in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday, making it their eighth loss in 15 games across all competitions.
Pep Guardiola’s team dominated the derby with Erling Haaland converting a penalty in the first half and adding another goal for Manchester City just four minutes into the second half. He also assisted Phil Foden in scoring the final goal.
However, the 52-year-old maintained that the victory was not as easy as it appeared to be.
Guardiola stated that it was a challenging match, but scoring the second goal early in the second half gave his team an advantage and they were able to maintain control. He also expressed his admiration for Manchester United.
“We can also experience the same period that they are currently going through. These types of situations are universal. Although we were victorious in the game, that is the extent of it.”
City, having been defeated by Newcastle in September’s Carabao Cup, had a break this week. This gave a group of people the opportunity to attend the Ballon d’Or ceremony in Paris on Monday, where seven of their players were nominated for their achievements in the previous season’s treble victory.
Haaland came in second for the top award, which was won by Lionel Messi, but he was awarded the Gerd Muller trophy for best striker. Meanwhile, City was recognized as the club of the year.
When asked about Haaland’s feelings regarding not winning the Ballon d’Or, Guardiola stated that he seemed content with being a nominee alongside Messi, Mbappe, and others. He also mentioned that it was a positive night for Manchester City.
“Congratulations to Messi on his achievement. Manchester City’s presence was crucial, as we have not had many opportunities to be in that position. Our presence was significant. (Haaland) has a promising future and should view this as a challenge, striving to return to that level next year by contributing to the team’s success.”
After coming back to Manchester, the main focus is now on the upcoming game against Bournemouth on Saturday. This is a chance for City to potentially take the top spot, at least temporarily, while Arsenal plays against Newcastle later in the day. The current leaders, Tottenham, will not play until they face Chelsea on Monday night.
At the beginning of the weekend, City is two points behind the top spot, but Guardiola is not concerned about the standings at this point in the campaign.
“I have noticed that each season since I arrived has been more challenging,” he stated. “The competition has become tougher with stronger managers and teams, but that’s what makes it exciting,” he added. “We have managed to maintain our position after 10 games, and with 28 more to go, there is a lot that can happen. However, I am confident in our improving performance.”
The Cherries ended their long wait for a first Premier League win of the season with victory over Burnley last weekend and Guardiola said he enjoyed the style of Andoni Iraola’s side and the way they approached Wednesday’s Carabao Cup tie at home to Liverpool, a 2-1 defeat.
“Of course always after the win they are confident,” Guardiola said. “They competed really well against Liverpool. Andoni is an incredibly well-respected manager in Spain playing in an offensive style. They don’t sit back.
The manager is one of the youngest in Spain and his move to the Premier League is a remarkable achievement. It is hoped that he will maintain his strong performance.
Source: independent.co.uk