Pep predicts no record for City

Defeat

Free-scoring City moved five points clear at the top of the table as Sergio Aguero’s landmark 177th strike for the club helped them to a 3-0 win over Burnley at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday.

Guardiola’s side are the only undefeated team left in the league after their club record-equalling 11th consecutive win in all competitions and playing a brand of football that at times has been simply breathtaking, drawing comparisons with the Spaniard’s time as boss of Barcelona.

But Guardiola is not getting carried away with talk of going the distance without a loss.

“To finish unbeatable, that is not going to happen because we are in a lot of games and a lot of competitions are so demanding, more than ever. To win with this kind of record sounds ridiculous,” he told reporters.

“There will be a moment when we are going down. In that moment I am curious and I will test myself as a manager with the players and see how we are going to react.

“I know people like a lot the statistics and to compare one to another one with titles, and I am happy for the 11 wins in a row because we showed that we can win a lot of games in a row. But that’s all.”

That last English club to go an entire league campaign unbeaten was Arsenal back in 2003-04. The Invincibles ended the season as champions with 26 win and 12 draws. That side included players such as Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp and Robert Pires. The current City side does not look like poor relations in comparison. So far this year Kevin De Bruyne has been in imperious form making the team tick. His supporting cast has been just as impressive, Aguero, Leroy Sane and David Silva all causing more than enough trouble for opposition defenses.

But Guardiola is clearly not one to let his mind wander and get ahead of himself, warning his side that there could be several bumps ahead.

“We are going to lose games, of course, but complacency, being (too) relaxed, is what we are not. That is not going to happen with me,” he said.

LONDON: Pep Guardiola has told anyone who is predicting Manchester City will go the entire Premier League season unbeaten to think again.