GUARDIOLA TREADING CAREFULLY

PEP GUARDIOLA says he now feels English enough to understand what an FA Cup banana skin is.

The Manchester City boss takes his all-conquering side to Wigan in the cup on Monday, and even though they have lost just twice all season, the Spaniard is concerned about the chance of a major upset.

“In Spain there are always two games in the cup, but here I learned anything can happen,” he explained.

“When you play at home it’s one issue but when you play away in tough conditions in January and February . . and teams like Wigan showed in the games against Bournemouth that anything can happen.

“Of course I am concerned because I saw the game against Bournemouth. They are one of the teams I like to watch the most in the Premier League and Wigan were able to beat them.

“They’re going to start so, so, so, so hard as they’re so intense, so aggressive without the ball and we have to be ready. We will take it seriously.”

Guardiola (left) has studied the competition in depth and added: “I think in the FA Cup there are a lot of surprises, not just this season or previous seasons, all throughout history you always have these kind of situation happen.”

City play Arsenal at Wembley on February 25 in the Carabao Cup final and Guardiola added: “It would be good for my players not to think too much of the final, they think about the ‘final’ on Monday.

“It’s a chance to go to the quarter-finals and we are going to prepare as much as we can.”