WE’RE NOT UP FER IT!
Tough-guy Guardiola is hard man to please Klopp fires out a Reds alert
FERNANDINHO admits that Manchester City are struggling to match the intensity levels demanded by boss Pep Guardiola.
City fell behind three times before salvaging a 3-3 draw in Wednesday night’s thrilling Champions League Group C clash at Celtic.
And Guardiola was angered by his side’s lack of focus after they conceded a goal at the start of each half.
High
But midfielder Fernandinho says it is inevitable there will be dips in form and mistakes, saying: “The level of intensity is very high during training sessions and games.
“It’s not easy to keep at that level, the same intensity every game. Sometimes we go a little bit down and sometimes we are up.
“As we saw against Celtic, the team – especially in the first 15 minutes of the first half and the beginning of the second half as well – did not show enough attention.
“But the manager is working very ® hard with all the players, with all the staff and we hope we can reach the level we all want.
“Of course, with all the mistakes we made, it was not easy and we need to work a bit more on organisation in the training sessions for the next games. “But I’m very happy for all of us.” Despite the end of City’s 10-game winning start under Guardiola, Fernandinho – who scored the first equaliser – was encouraged by the character showed in fighting back three times against a pumped-up Celtic in a typically intimidating Pakhead atmosphere.
He added: “Of course we wanted to ® win, Champions League games are always special. We try to win every game. Unfortunately we had to come from behind three times but the fight of the guys was amazing.
“To play at Celtic Park is not easy and our team showed quality and very good character.”
Fernandinho insists the Premier League leaders will not suffer a psychological hangover for their clash with second-placed Tottenham at White Hart Lane on Sunday.
He added: “I don’t think so. We played against a good team in the Champions League, away from home, with their fans pushing them on.
“But I am very pleased with my team-mates because we showed very good personality.”