Pep Guardiola marked his 500th match in charge of Manchester City with a much-needed 2-0 victory over Leicester City on Sunday, but the manager remains pessimistic about his team’s chances of winning a fifth consecutive Premier League title.
Following a challenging stretch that included a five-game winless run across all competitions, Guardiola expressed visible relief after securing only his team’s second win in 14 matches. However, the victory still leaves City 14 points adrift of league leaders Liverpool, who defeated West Ham 5-0 and have a game in hand.
Guardiola was quick to temper expectations, stating, “We are far away from winning the Premier League. We accept there’s already no chance of that, but we have other things to fight for.” The manager’s acknowledgment of the team’s struggles highlights the difficulties City has faced this season.
The match against Leicester was not without its challenges. Despite Savinho’s opener in the 21st minute, City found themselves under pressure for much of the game, with the hosts missing several opportunities to equalize. Erling Haaland eventually secured the win with a header in the 74th minute.
“Just relief, that is the word to express how all of us feel,” Guardiola said post-match. “It was not the ideal performance, but hopefully, the victories will improve our mood. … We hope to bounce back in the new year from this tough moment.”
For the first time in a while, Guardiola appeared genuinely happy as he celebrated with his players and applauded the fans, bringing his tally to 362 wins in 500 matches and adding to his impressive collection of 18 trophies. “The players have given me a good present today, celebrating 500 games like this,” he remarked.
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