LEAGUE CUP Arsenal in way of Pep’s first trophy
London, Feb 24: Pep Guardiola is anxious to play down suggestions that winning his first piece of silverware for Manchester City in Sunday’s League Cup final against Arsenal would herald a period of dominance.
The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich coach takes his side to Wembley with the Premier League title virtually in the bag and a place in the Champions League quarter-finals looking certain.
But despite City’s dominance this season, Guardiola will be eager to get his hands on a trophy, even if it would have been fourth on the list of his priorities when the campaign began.
City are clear favourites to beat Arsenal but Arsene Wenger’s men have made a habit of cup success in recent years, winning the FA Cup in three of the past four seasons.
“Not even in Barcelona when we won the first title in the cup did I expect to win 14 titles in four years,” said Guardiola, anxious not to over-burden his players.
“I’m more pragmatic. I think in football it’s a big mistake to think what might happen in the next three years. It’s a big mistake for our heads, our targets, it makes no sense.
“When people asked in the beginning, about winning four titles (this season), I said of course we’ll try, but the big teams have not been able to do that — the big Liverpools, the big Uniteds, the big Arsenals, the big Chelseas.”
Defeat for City could lead to a certain feeling of anticlimax at the Etihad as it would follow hot on the heels of their FA Cup exit at the hands of lowly Wigan Athletic — ending their quest for an historic quadruple. SHOCK JESUS
RETURN? Striker Gabriel Jesus could make a shock return at Wembley after being out with a knee injury since the end of December, although there are doubts over Raheem Sterling’s fitness. Guardiola confirmed second-choice goalkeeper Claudio Bravo will start, having done so in all domestic cup matches this season, but Fabian Delph is suspended after being sent off against Wigan.
The Catalan boss earlier this season questioned the value of the League Cup, saying “you waste a lot of energy” but it could serve as a springboard to further success, as it has done previously for the likes of Jose Mourinho. — AFP