Pep Guardiola has admitted concern about Manchester City’s defending before the World Cup break with the manager warning they cannot lose any more ground on Arsenal ahead of their “terrible” January schedule.
City lost 2-1 against Brentford at the Etihad Stadium on 12 November in their final Premier League match before the World Cup and, before Wednesday’s game at Leeds, Guardiola admitted that his team could “not control” Ivan Toney, who scored both the visitors’ goals last month. Following Arsenal’s win against West Ham on Boxing Day, Mikel Arteta’s side have a seven-point lead at the top of the table over second-placed Newcastle, but City can retake that place and reduce the lead to five points if they beat Leeds.
Guardiola said: “Against Brentford – when you [have to] play 10 balls against Toney – it is difficult to win the game – we cannot control the long balls, we cannot control the transitions and we were completely [in trouble].
“I would have preferred another opponent than Leeds at this moment after the World Cup. They are the most aggressive team in the Premier League, statistically. They don’t give you time to think and you have to be precise. After our defeat against Brentford, and with how strong Arsenal are, as well as the opponents who [can] come from behind, we have to be alert and careful, because if the distance is bigger, it will be so difficult to catch them.”
Guardiola was happier with City’s defending in the 3-2 victory against Liverpool in the Carabao Cup last Thursday. “You cannot think against Liverpool you are not going to concede chances – in the transitions they are a fantastic team,” he said. “I don’t think there is a team in the world that I am [more impressed with] – every game is completely different and against them we defend really, really well.”
After Leeds, City host Everton on New Year’s Eve, before playing six games next month, including three against direct rivals in the Premier League. Next Thursday (5 January) they visit Chelsea before hosting the same opposition in the FA Cup third round three days later (8 January). Then there are just two days before a visit to Southampton in the Carabao Cup (10 January), followed by three league games in nine days – the Manchester derby at Old Trafford (14 January) and two home games to round off the month: against Tottenham (19 January) and Wolves (22 January).
Guardiola said: “Our schedule in January is terrible in terms of the amount of games and the quality of the opponents. We have to restart. This is what we have done against Liverpool and hopefully we can continue.”
Erling Haaland scored his 24th goal of the season against Liverpool. Guardiola was asked if the striker’s foot injury that has previously troubled him requires management in light of the host of issues that caused the Norwegian to miss 16 games at his former club Borussia Dortmund in the 2021-22 campaign.
“The injury is completely different to last season,” the manager said. “It was a knock on his foot in Dortmund, when we played them in the Champions League [in October]. The doctor said he damaged his ligaments in his foot and it’s so painful. It’s not easy to recover, that’s why he struggled.
“The muscular issues [he had at Dortmund] are perfect and now his foot is much, much better.”