Skip to content
Exclusive

Pep Guardiola: There is much more to come from Man City

Watch Arsenal vs Man City live on Sunday on Sky Sports Premier League and Sky Sports Main Event from 4.15pm; kick-off 4.30pm; watch free highlights shortly after full-time on Sky Sports website and app

Pep Guardiola has addressed Manchester City's defensive problems

Man City manager Pep Guardiola insists his side can still get better, despite their current 24-match unbeaten run which they will seek to extend at Arsenal on Super Sunday.

City became the first top-flight team to win their opening 10 matches of a calendar year after beating Everton 3-1 at Goodison Park on Wednesday night, a victory that moved Guardiola's side 10 points clear of rivals Man Utd at the top of the Premier League.

Though, the Catalan believes there is room for improvement from his side in order for them to continue their winning run.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Pep Guardiola denies that he is an influence on Mikel Arteta despite the Arsenal manager working under him as Manchester City's No 2 from 2016 to 2019

"We can be beaten," Guardiola tells Sky Sports. "Today, if we have a game. Every single game I play, every single game, I think we can be beaten if we don't do what we have to do.

"To play every game, just to get another good performance and three more points and victories, that helps us to get confidence and believe we can do it again and again.

"I don't feel satisfied, not fully accomplished. To say it's enough. I still feel we have a margin to improve. And do it again. And this is the most difficult thing."

However, despite having opened up a massive 16-point lead over champions Liverpool, Guardiola is not taking anything for granted in the title race with 14 fixtures remaining in the season.

Also See:

"I will not deny that is a good run, good distance, but I cannot deny also, higher, bigger, stronger, that there is 42 [points] to play for, and when there is 42 to play, with 10 in front - that is not much," he says.

"Ten points is much, 42 to go, it isn't. Drop two results, you can be caught up, so be calm and think of the next one. This is best."

Manchester City's Ilkay Gundogan
Image: Ilkay Gundogan is City's leading scorer in the Premier League, with his 11 goals all coming in his last 12 appearances

Part of the reason for City's stunning results of late has been the eye-catching form of both Ilkay Gundogan and Phil Foden.

Incredibly, the German - who is a doubt for Sunday's trip to the capital - is City's leading scorer in the Premier League, with his 11 goals all coming in his last 12 appearances, a run that has even surprised his manager.

"Yeah, a little bit - that's true," Guardiola admits. "We know another quality from Gundogan, we know it. He can score goals for us but it's a surprise, a welcome surprise.

"It happened because he's playing close to the box and he has incredible sense to score a goal."

Guardiola is equally delighted with Foden's contributions this season.

"First of all, it depends on him," he says. "The rest is the quality of the paper. I didn't teach him 'dribble, shoot for Phil Foden'.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

FREE TO WATCH: Highlights from Manchester City's win against Tottenham in the Premier League

"It's true [that he'd play with kids in the park]. Everything comes from there. The only thing is he has to know he doesn't play alone, he plays with team-mates - the movement and ideas, to win together, to understand it as much as possible."

In north London on Sunday afternoon, Guardiola will, of course, come up against Mikel Arteta, his one-time apprentice at the Ethihad.

The City boss is quick to acknowledge the importance of the duo's partnership during their hugely successful time working together in Manchester.

"Since he left, I've said how important he is," he says. "Every game he plays, that Arsenal plays, you realise he's better than the opponent. Sometimes you don't win games. You fight to get what you deserve and sometimes that doesn't happen.

Live Renault Super Sunday

"But I see what Arsenal have done in the last couple of months, they're better than the opponents. Every manager needs time. Arsenal will give him that. Within a very short period, they will be incredibly hard to beat, and a contender for titles."

At the Emirates this weekend, we will find out if the apprentice can get the better of his master...

Have you tried Super Six extra yet?

You can win £5,000 for free with Super 6 Extra by predicting what will happen when Arsenal welcome Manchester City to the Emirates in a blockbuster Super Sunday clash.

Super 6 Extra does draw on some similarities to the game we all know and love, but the beauty of this game on a Sunday lies with having to correctly predict six questions to scoop the jackpot. These are as follows:

  • Can you predict the full-time score?
  • Can you predict the half-time score?
  • Who will score the first goal?
  • Who will receive the first card?
  • How many corners will be taken?
  • Who will receive the Man of the Match award?

There is, as with Super 6, a tiebreaker to split the winners if there is more than one on any occasion. This will be a possession slider, so you simply slide it to what you think the possession stat will be at the end of the game, and that could be the difference between coming away empty handed or with a sweet £5,000. Choose wisely!

Enter the Super 6 Extra round here for free!

Win £250,000 with Super 6!
Win £250,000 with Super 6!

Do not miss your chance to land the £250,000 in Saturday's Super 6 round. Play for free, entries by 3:00pm.