Satisfaction for City as Stones hits winner
Pep Guardiola believes Manchester City’s 20-game winning run could be the greatest achievement of his illustrious career.
The Premier League leaders maintained their charge as they ground out a hard-fought victory over West Ham at the Etihad Stadium.
Guardiola has won 29 trophies in his glittering managerial career with Barcelona, Bayern Munich and City, including back-to-back Premier League titles in 2018 and 2019, but this season’s results – amid a pandemic – could eclipse that.
City are unbeaten in 27 games and their run of 20 successive victories in all competitions is a record for an English top-flight side.
The City boss said: “It is so difficult. Twenty in this period, in this era, with this situation around the world – to be able to do 20 is maybe one of the greatest achievements we have done together in our careers.
“That doesn’t mean we will win titles but we have not had one week’s rest in three months. A game every three days, with the Covid situation, injury situations – to make this winning run shows mental strength.”
City were not at their fluid best and were made to dig deep for their latest victory by the hard-working Hammers.
Goals in each half from defenders Ruben Dias and John Stones, either side of a Michail Antonio equaliser, ultimately proved the key contributions.
Guardiola said: “It was obvious to every person who saw the game, it was really tough. The opposition is incredible, well composed. It was a tough game, but that is good for us for the coming games, to realise what is going to happen.”
It was West Ham who first created confusion in an opponents’ box when a Jesse Lingard shot took a deflection and looped into the air. Tomas Soucek was the first to react to head across goal and Antonio collided with Ederson in the ensuing scramble.
Lingard followed up with another shot but Stones blocked.
It was not until the half-hour mark that City first seriously threatened – and it brought them the lead. Kevin De Bruyne stamped his name on the game in emphatic fashion to tee up Dias.
The Belgian was wide on the right when he sent a left-footed cross into the box. Dias, who along with Stones was still forward after a set-piece, met it with a powerful header.
Darren Randolph, deputising for Lukasz Fabianski in the Hammers goal, got a hand to it, but could not keep it out.
West Ham responded positively to the