Guardiola spells out how Manchester City can get even better
There was bad news for the 19 Premier League teams watching Manchester City disappear into the distance on Saturday as City’s manager Pep Guardiola spelled out how his record-breaking squad can improve further.
Guardiola was speaking after City had beaten Bournemouth 4-0 at the Etihad Stadium, extending its extraordinary sequence to 17 successive league victories and 22 domestic matches without defeat all season.
It was the third league game in a row that rampant City has scored four goals, taking its total to 60 in 19 games.
In 28 matches, the club’s only defeat has been 2-1 away to Shakhtar Donetsk in a dead Champions League group match.
Realist more than romantic in his approach to the game, however, the experienced Catalan coach is a perfectionist who knows that perfection in football cannot be achieved.
Which is why he was willing to outline areas in which his vastly expensive squad can prove even more effective in the second half of the season as it chases all three domestic trophies plus the European title.
Indeed, although City appears to be making quite enough scoring opportunities even against teams that simply sit back and defend, that is the area in which the manager wants improvement.
“We have to learn, to improve and attack this kind of defense and I think that is going to happen,” Guardiola told reporters.
“Our target is what we have to do to find a solution. It’s not a target to be perfect, that doesn’t exist.
“Always teams can improve. When they defend with 10 men in the box, we can attack more fluently, make more chances.”
That is a worrying prospect for City’s opponents, given that three players in Raheem Sterling, Sergio Aguero and Gabriel Jesus are already in double figures for the season, with Leroy Sane and Kevin de Bruyne not far behind. PEP GUARDIOLA (center) gave his Manchester City players Christmas off, but demanded the Premier League leader maintain its standard over the festive season in his bid to keep up the feel-good factor that has seen City build up an 13-point lead at the of the table.
With City so far ahead of the rest in performance and points, debate is already turning to questions like how many trophies it can win, whether it could remain unbeaten in the last 19 league games and if it is the best team of the 25-year Premier League era.
Martin Keown, who played 10 games in defense for the Arsenal team that went unbeaten in the 2003-04 league season and is now a pundit, told the BBC: “You’ve really got to ask yourself ‘is this the best team we’ve ever seen in the Premier League?’
“They’re achieving excellence in their performance week in, week out. It’s a stroll in the park every week for these boys.”
Lukaku proves he can offer more than just goals for United
Meanwhile, Manchester United has created fewer chances than Southampton in the Premier League this season, but after Romelu Lukaku’s performance as a creator against Leicester City, Jose Mourinho may have found a new way for United to stay in the title race.
United made a blistering start to the season, winning four of its opening five league games, scoring 16 goals in the process, with the attack spearheaded by new striker Lukaku.
However, after scoring 10 in his first nine games over all competitions, the goals have dried up for the Belgian, with Mourinho’s side now trailing league leader Manchester City by 13 points.
United welcomes Burnley to Old Trafford in the league on Tuesday with a busy festive schedule kicking in – the perfect time for Lukaku to have found a new facet to his game when not scoring.
On Saturday, the striker fulfilled an unfamiliar role, with no other player at the King Power Stadium creating more chances for team mates.
“Lukaku’s role has been different,” former United defender Gary Neville said. “His contribution will please Mourinho.”
Lukaku created two big chances for Martial and Jesse Lingard with defense-splitting passes, but both were not converted which cost United as Leicester snatched a last-gasp point.
Such profligacy against Burnley would mean that United’s hold on second place in the standings would be under threat, as Chelsea lurks three points behind in third.
Paul Pogba has five assists to his name despite having played just nine Premier League games, but such ability on the ball makes him a marked man. Lukaku, on the other hand, is a relative unknown in the creativity department. Having created just three big chances all season prior to Saturday, Lukaku proved he can adapt his game to give Mourinho more options.
Over a busy festive period, where any slip up by runaway leader City could see United at least put pressure on its rival, Lukaku could silence his doubters in other ways than just scoring goals. (Reuters)