MAN CITY v CHELSEA
TODAY, 12.30PM, BT SPORT 1
PEP GUARDIOLA has hit back at Manchester City’s rivals for claiming they’ve been lucky when it comes to Covid outbreaks.
Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel and Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk suggested City’s 10-point lead at the top is because they have had fewer cases than their rivals.
But ahead of City’s lunchtime showdown with Chelsea today, Guardiola insisted Tuchel and van Djik were wrong – and pointed to his side’s number of positives to back that up.
City recorded 21 positive cases – including seven players – ahead of last weekend’s FA Cup tie at Swindon, with Guardiola also forced to isolate and miss the 4-1 win.
Champions City have lost more players to the virus in the build-up to today’s encounter, with Guardiola having overseen just one training session this week since returning from isolation.
Against that backdrop, he reckons City have suffered as much as their rivals in terms of Covid’s impact.
Guardiola said: “We have some new Covid cases. Covid is all around the world and it’s not that in this part of the world there is no Covid. That’s not true.
“Are you saying we’re the smartest? That Omicron doesn’t come to visit us? We had a lot of cases and injuries. We played at Aston Villa with 11 firstteam players. We played, we didn’t postpone it.
“The last five games, we played with academy players on the bench. We’re in the same situation as all the other clubs.
“We try to play. If we have 11 or 12 players, it’s enough. We have Cole Palmer, James McAtee and other players we try to play. We have enough players. We had a lot of players and backroom staff with Covid and, at the beginning of the season, we had a lot of tough injuries with our players.
“So what can I say? If they believe we were lucky, okay we were lucky! Thank-you. What can I say?
“The pandemic is all around the world and everywhere there is the virus. We’re exposed every single minute and day to getting it. We’re no exception.
“If they believe it’s the reason why [City are so far ahead] then maybe. Sometimes it’s the money we have, sometimes it’s Covid. I don’t know.”
Chelsea’s mid-season meltdown last month – just two wins in six Premier League games – may have blown a hole in their bid to reel in City but Tuchel insists he’ll never give up until he has led them back to the summit of English football.
He said: “We are never happy when we are behind our own standards. This is where we are but, at the same time, we have trust and are still hungry.
“The season is not yet finished. We will never give up and we will try to bring out the very best that is actually in the moment possible.”
Earlier this season, the European champions were outclassed in their own house as Gabriel Jesus gave City all three points. At the time the teams were level on points after six games.
But Guardiola’s men have since been imperious, winning all but two of their 15 top-flight matches. Victory for City – 10 points clear – would surely end this season’s race as a contest.
Tuchel agreed but remains quietly confident of his team’s ability to throw a spanner in the works.
He added: “Maybe. Who knows? But let’s play the game. I am always in for a good fight but also very realistic.”