City has to be more homey

Pep Guardiola said Manchester City’s home form must improve next season if it is to challenge for honors.

Guardiola’s first season in English soccer will end at Watford on Sunday with the Catalan failing to win silverware for the first time in his stellar managerial career.

But Tuesday’s 3-1 victory over West Brom should be enough to guarantee a topfour finish — and a place in next season’s Champions League — while a win at Watford will assure City of advancing directly to the group stage without having to negotiate a two-legged qualifier.

“I will not say fourth position is done, but Arsenal has to win by five or six against Everton and my good friend (manager) Ronald Koeman,” City boss Guardiola said.

“We are there and we are going to travel to London to try to finish third and go direct to the Champions League. I’m happy it’s in our hands to finish third.

“This club had not played in Europe for 30 years. Now we are there every year, but we have to try to be better next season.”

However, City will need to improve its form at Etihad, where despite ending the season with three straight victories, it has collected just 11 wins from 19 games.

“Our home season was not good,” said Guardiola. “We finished the last three games with good performances, but it was not good.

“That was the reason we didn’t fight (for the title) until the end of the season, but this was a perfect night, especially for Pablo.”

Guardiola was referring to 32-year-old Argentine defender Pablo Zabaleta, who played his last home game for the club prior to leaving as a free agent.