WE CAN TAKE THE PRESSURE
Guardiola’s vow as City play follow the leader
PEP GUARDIOLA lauded Manchester City’s togetherness as they responded to Liverpool’s early victory and maintained a one-point lead in the title race.
Jurgen Klopp’s side piled the pressure on the defending champions by beating Newcastle United at lunchtime before City swept Leeds United aside at Elland Road.
City ran out four-goal winners — Rodri, Nathan Ake, Gabriel Jesus and Fernandinho scoring — but had to weather heavy first-half pressure.
‘They respond really well and stick together in the bad moments,’ Guardiola said. ‘We had to suffer. Aymeric [Laporte] and Ruben [Dias] were fantastic. An incredible result. The pressure is not too complicated to analyse. They play before, they are going to win all games. We’ve expected that for a long time.
‘All we have to do is win our games. When that happens, they are going to congratulate us. If it doesn’t happen, we are going to congratulate them.
‘It is an honour to try to make back-to-back and try to make a fourth Premier League [title] in five years. I know Liverpool is nicer with their history but what we have is not bad.’
Guardiola added: ‘Today I felt the Elland Road crowd and why this [stadium] is so special. At the end, 4-0 down and fighting to stay up, they’re chanting their support. This
was important for us because we have a final game in Madrid [on Wednesday] to reach the Champions League final and then we can just focus on the league for four games.’
Leeds manager Jesse Marsch criticised referee Paul Tierney by claiming City were given the majority of 50-50 calls. Marsch was booked for protesting.
‘If the ref is not behaving in a way I think is appropriate and I ask for things to change and they don’t change, then I must change my behaviour to change his,’ Marsch said. ‘After my yellow I don’t think it’s a coincidence City get the next yellow.
‘The big clubs get the calls so you have to fight. I didn’t think the free-kick for the first goal was a foul. I felt over time there were a lot of light fouls they picked up, which can change the momentum of the game.’
Marsch added that the Leeds performance ‘felt like a win’ and he believes they have enough to beat the drop despite Burnley’s dramatic late victory at Watford.
The American’s cause was not helped by losing both Liam Cooper and Stuart Dallas with knee injuries. Dallas will miss the remainder of the season.
‘We knew this wasn’t going to be easy,’ Marsch said. ‘But we are up for it. Their desire gives me a lot of optimism and confidence. It wasn’t a 4-0 match. Our players are so committed to making these fans proud and keeping us in this league. It’s closer than we’d like but whatever, man, we keep going.
‘This was a loss but in many ways I feel like it’s a win. This club is very unique and its fanbase as well. This isn’t me pandering to the fans, I’m just calling it as I see it.’