FIGHTING TALK
Pedro: City aren’t going to walk away with the title this season
WEST HAM v CHELSEA
City finished a massive 30 points above the Blues when they won the title last time out.
But Chelsea go to West Ham today knowing a win will take them back to the top and two points clear of the Etihad club.
The Blues are determined to prove they are serious challengers under new manager Maurizio Sarri, who also guided them to victory at PAOK Salonika in the Europa League in midweek.
That’s a big contrast to Pep Guardiola’s men who were embarrassed at home by Lyon in the Champions League and who appear to be wobbling.
Pedro said: “We couldn’t have started better because we have won all the matches and we’re fulfilling all our best dreams.
“From the first day we have shown we want to be champions. But we know we need to do more because you have to keep going. This game at West Ham is important. It’s a derby with a special character, which makes it complicated.
“We need to show that this team can endure pressure and cope with difficult environments.
“It’s a good test to stay top of the table and let the other teams know that Chelsea are here.”
By “other teams” there’s no doubt that Pedro means City.
It still rankles at Stamford Bridge that, having won the title themselves in 2017, they let go of it so meekly a year later.
Memories of a trip to the Etihad in May, when Antonio Conte adopted such defensive tactics that Eden Hazard complained, “We could have played for three hours and I wouldn’t have touched the ball”, are particularly painful.
But everything has changed under attack-minded new boss Sarri. And Pedro is happy to send out a message to Guardiola’s (below) men that things are going to be very different this time. He said: “Man City were champions last season and deserved to be, but that does not guarantee anything in this league.
“It will be up to us and Liverpool and Man United to respond and there will be a big battle to be the champions this time.
“People were talking about City winning the title for many years in a row, but I only worry that Chelsea play well.
“And we believe that we can be champions – so what happens to others does not affect us much.
“Chelsea are a great club with a great squad. We are trained and ready for everything and, above all, we have come out this season like lightning.
“Everything is going well and we have to keep that going.” It’s obvious new manager Sarri has had a massive impact on a squad that performed so badly last season, switching to a back four and introducing a more attacking philosophy.
But Pedro insists there is no huge secret to his team’s revival.
“The new manager has come in and he’s done so well, but there’s no secret weapon,” he said. “The coach sets the tactics and the players play the best they can.
“This squad knows how to play and the only secret is hard work. We must remember that. Nothing has been won yet, we’ve only played five games in the league.
“The games at Christmas and in January are so often the games when the title is won, so we have to stay focused.”
What Pedro is confident of, however, is that City won’t be running away with things like they have done before.
“It’s going to be a battle,” he insisted. “City will be there, but there are many candidates. I see it as a very close race because Liverpool have also started fast and I don’t rule out other teams.
“What is important is that Chelsea have shown we want to be there – and we know what we want to do.”