Guardiola inspires City masterclass, Liverpool face Everton challenge
Guardiola’s astute tactical tweaks have been key to the revival, but he knows the dangers of resting on his laurels during a hectic programme
As Manchester City power towards the Premier League title, the question is not whether Arsenal can stall the leaders, but is this Pep Guardiola’s finest achievement in his Etihad reign?
Liverpool were expected to push City all the way but the champions have stumbled so badly that their only concern going into the Merseyside derby against Everton is geting back into the top four.
Chelsea, in action at Southampton, hold that lucrative fourth Champions League berth thanks to an impressive unbeaten start to Thomas Tuchel’s reign.
When the final whistle blew on Manchester City’s 17th successive victory in all competitions, Guardiola was one step closer to the most impressive feat of his five years in the Premier League.
City’s composed 3-1 dismissal of Everton at Goodison Park on Wednesday let them 10 points clear of second-placed Manchester United with 14 games let.
They are the first English top-flight side to begin a calendar year with 10 successive league wins.
Guardiola has already won two Premier League titles, three League Cups and the FA Cup with City.
But finding a way to navigate through City’s poor start to the season while also dealing with the loss of all-time leading scorer Sergio Aguero for most of the campaign and a significant Covid-19 outbreak in the camp burnishes his legacy.
Guardiola’s astute tactical tweaks have been key to the revival, but he knows the dangers of resting on his laurels during a hectic programme.
“Winning 10 straight games at the start of the calendar year is nice but next is Arsenal,” he said. “It’s beter you don’t see the schedule, otherwise you get depressed. But at the same time, it’s a beautiful challenge.”
Mikel Arteta believes his Arsenal team will be facing the best side in Europe.
Arteta knows City well ater working under manager Pep Guardiola in Manchester for three years before returning to manage Arsenal, having previously played for the Gunners.
“I think they are the best team in Europe at the moment,” Arteta said of City. “The way they are performing, the football they are playing and the consistency of the results, take all that it and it makes them the best team.
“So we have a big but, as well, a very exciting challenge ahead of us on Sunday.”
As Virgil van Dijk lay in agony on the Goodison Park turf, Liverpool’s season began a painful decline that still haunts them five months later.
Van Dijk has not played since suffering knee damage ate ran ugly challenge from ever ton keeper Jordan Pickford during that 2-2 draw in October.
The absence of the imperious dutch centre- back has been the most obvious reason for Liverpool’s unexpected collapse as they lost their long unbeaten home league record and fell out of the title race.
Ravaged by injuries and suffering from burnout ater their first title in 30 years, Liverpool and their manager Jurgen Klopp look so overwrought that rumours circulated ater last weekend’s loss at Leicester that the German was ready to resign.
K lo pp brushed that off and liverpool took a small step on the road to recovery when they won 2-0 against Leipzig in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on Tuesday.
Saturday’s Merseyside derby at Anfield will pose an intriguing test of sixth-placed Liverpool’s metle.
Will the chance to avenge that season-defining meeting earlier this season re-light their fire or can Everton deal another blow to their rivals’ top-four hopes? Ater three successive league defeats, a cautious Klopp said: “We are not children anymore, so we don’t think everything is fine because we won one game. It is much more important that we played good football again.”
Everton boss Carlo Anceloti said on Friday it could be the “right time” to play Liverpool at Anfield ater more than a decade without a win over their city rivals.
The Toffees last tasted victory against the Reds in 2010 and have not won away since 1999.
“It is a long time that Everton were able to win a derby and it can be the right time tomorrow,” Anceloti said.
English Premier League fixtures (all times GMT):
On Saturday: Southampton vs Chelsea (1230), Burnley vs West Brom (1500), Liverpool vs Everton (1730), Fulham vs Sheffield United (2000) On Sunday: West Ham vs Totenham (1200), Aston Villa vs Leicester (1400), Arsenal vs Man City (1630), Manchester United vs Newcastle (1900).