Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City travel to Tyneside on Sunday for their Premier League clash vs Newcastle United, with the defending champions having the opportunity to open a seven-point gap to last season’s runners up Liverpool, however, the Spaniard was quick to shut down any talk of Jurgen Klopp’s side.
When hearing of Liverpool, Guardiola said: “There is not a question about Liverpool. Liverpool is not my business. This is Manchester city. I don’t know Liverpool.”
So far so good
In their opening two games against West Ham United and Fulham, City have won both fixtures, scoring six goals and not conceding any.
Although the 51-year-old has been very pleased with his side’s performances, on any potential title race, Guardiola joked: “Just 111 points to play.”
“It’s just two Premier League games. We are in the process of like a pre-season. The last two games were really good, but the players prove to me how wrong I was because they did it really well, but we have to continue that way,” he said.
Guardiola is a perfectionist who often stresses on the fine margins in football, saying: “In the first game, I always have doubts of how we’d react after pre-season. We didn’t train much. We had just 10/11 days for pre-season. The last three years we didn’t win vs West Ham away.”
Magpies on the up
The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich manager was full of praise for his counterpart Eddie Howe in Friday’s press conference.
When Howe took over at St James’ Park last season, the Toon were rock bottom, with the former Bournemouth man leading Newcastle to a 13th place finish in the end.
Last weekend, the Magpies earnt a point at the Amex Stadium against Brighton & Hove Albion after starting the season with a 2-0 win over newly promoted Nottingham Forest.
On Howe’s transformation of the club, Guardiola said: “The numbers and style of play speaks for itself. [He] arrived in a difficult position last season, when the new owners took over the club, and they make an incredible run of games, winning a lot.”
City are currently enjoying a seven game unbeaten streak against Newcastle, dating back to November 2019, but Guardiola believes the 5-0 score line from earlier this year wasn’t a true reflection of the game.
He said: “The last game here [vs them] was difficult. The motions were difficult. It was our first game after the Madrid defeat. They were already safe in the Premier League, and I would say our level of attention and concentration was high. We gave everything. We got a good result, but I saw the game again and we struggle for the second balls.
“They are a physical team. Eddie Howe, even in Bournemouth, always makes a real competitive team.”
Guardiola’s admiration for Howe is completely understandable, with the Englishman having taken the Cherries from League Two to the Premier League.
The St James’ faithful is often heavily talked about, and Guardiola admits to the noise made from the home crowd.
He said: “You know Newcastle away is an incredible environment. The fans [are] one of the best since I have been in England. It is a good test for us.”
Barcelona on the horizon
After Sunday’s fixture, City will fly to Barcelona to take part in an unusual midseason charity match where they will face Xavi’s side, with all proceeds donated to Fundacion Luzon, an ALS research charity.
The fixture has been arranged with former Barcelona goalkeeper Juan Carlos Unzue sadly diagnosed with ALS two years ago.
Guardiola confirmed his side will return back to Manchester on Thursday, with the majority of his squad set to be utilised.
He said: “The players that don’t play vs Newcastle will play, but the guys who will play vs Newcastle will play too. The best way is to play games.”
On the fixture, Guardiola added: “The benefit is we will be together. Our chairman will be there. [We have] time to train and recover in a good environment. We go because Barcelona open the doors for a game for an important person in our lives. They invite us to raise money for a battle for his disease. For us to play in Camp Nou is important – a big stage. Then we will prepare for the crystal palace game.”
Ready and raring to go
So far this summer, City have lured former Leeds United midfielder Kalvin Phillips, striker Erling Haaland and most recently, Spanish left back Sergio Gomez to the club, and Guardiola believes the transfer business he had planned for has been done.
Gomez is versatile having played under City legend Vincent Kompany last season at Anderlecht, with his new manager confirming the 21-year-old has settled in well amongst the group and will travel to Newcastle with the squad.
Haaland scored twice at the Olympic Stadium on his City debut, however, last weekend’s fixture was a tougher one for the Norwegian, where he had just eight touches all game.
On Haaland’s impact since coming in, Guardiola said: “We are delighted with Erling. The little details still we miss, but not just with him. It’s a question of time. I don’t have any doubts. Like all the new players, it is a question of time.”
One player who has been linked with a move away from the Etihad though is Bernardo Silva.
Raheem Sterling, Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko all left the club earlier this summer, and Bernardo has been linked with a move to Spanish giants Barca.
“He is our player, and he knows our wishes as a club, me as a manager, even his mates. What is going to happen? I don’t know,” said Guardiola.
