GUARDIOLA MARVELS ATRECORD BREAKERS
ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE
PEP GUARDIOLA called Manchester City’s record of 15 consecutive Premier League wins “amazing” but wants his side to make it count.
City broke the 14-game winning streak set by Arsenal in 2002 with a comprehensive 4-0 victory away to struggling Swansea.
David Silva continued his recent fine scoring streak with a double, with Kevin De Bruyne and Sergio Aguero also on target.
“The record means a lot – to get 15 victories in a row is amazing,” City manager Guardiola said. “Records are there to be broken but at this level today it is so competitive – the managers, the players, the analysts – and that means we are strong in the head.
“Normally you can decrease a little bit your concentration, but when you can do it 15 times in a row it means that every single day you are there.
“Of course I am proud of the record but it does not mean anything if we don’t win the title.
“We spoke about that in the locker room and we said to have a good recovery everyone because in three days we have another game against Tottenham.”
After the controversy of their weekend derby victory over second-placed Manchester United, there was an irony to Guardiola’s post-match press conference at the Liberty Stadium.
United manager Jose Mourinho had complained of the loud music being played in City’s dressing room, leading to reports of ugly scenes in the corridor and a Football Association investigation into the postmatch events at Old Trafford.
Three days on from that and music could be heard coming from the adjacent City dressing room as Guardiola spoke to reporters, telling them it was: “No problem.
“We are so happy, we played really good – especially after the Old Trafford game. When Swansea defended deep we found the patience and the right moment when they pressed.
“We go to the ball like animals, in a good way, and we understood better the patience to attack in the right moment.
“They are hungry still and they want to win. That is the good thing.”
Swansea’s defeat was their joint-heaviest of the season and they remain bottom of the Premier League with 12 points from 17 games.
Meanwhile, Tottenham’s Mauricio Pochettino is relishing the prospect of facing City after his team returned to the top four on the same evening their rivals set the new record.
Spurs were uninspired at Wembley but gradually ground Brighton down through Serge Aurier’s fortunate cross-shot and Son Hueng-min’s late header, to secure the 2-0 victory that took them up to fourth.
City’s 4-0 win at Swansea maintained their 11-point lead at the top and provided the latest demonstration of their exceptional quality, and even though they host Spurs on Saturday, Pochettino is unconcerned about their fine form.
That his team secured a third straight victory despite performing below their best and the fitagain Erik Lamela started his first competitive fixture since October 2016 provided the manager with further positives.
The three points also came after the 45-year-old started with Mousa Dembele and Dele Alli on the bench, though he bristled at questions surrounding whether the latter may have been unhappy at that decision.
“We’re going to Manchester thinking we can win,” the manager said. “We’re going to enjoy it, because it’s a fantastic challenge to play against Manchester City. They’re the best team in England and one of the best in Europe.
“I’m so excited to play, because I love to play against teams and managers like (Pep) Guardiola, that are the best. I’m so motivated and so happy that we are going to play a team at their best.