Guardiola's message to Mikel Arteta and Jürgen Klopp is unambiguous. He asserts that his team's unparalleled success over recent years has set the bar exceptionally high, making anything less than a win seem like a failure for Manchester City. This, he believes, is not the case for teams like Arsenal and Liverpool.
Guardiola said: "The only team who is going to fail by not winning the Premier League is us." This comment was made following Manchester City's defeat at Aston Villa, which came after three consecutive draws. He went on to say that other teams are celebrated for their occasional successes while his team is expected to win consistently.
This expectation, according to Guardiola, is unfair and challenging to manage. He stated: "City should win. That isn't fair. It's difficult to handle every week, every three days, during years and years." Despite this perceived injustice, the Manchester City boss remains committed to maintaining his team's winning streak.
Guardiola also addressed the recent changes in his squad, including İlkay Gündoğan's move to Barcelona and Riyad Mahrez's decision to seek greener pastures in Saudi Arabia. In addition, injuries to key players like Kevin De Bruyne and suspensions for Rodri have caused further complications.
Despite these hurdles, Guardiola remains confident in his ability to lead his team back to victory. He said: "I've got a lot of trust in myself. I will help the team — I don't know how but I'll help the team to come back." He also acknowledged the strength of his competitors, particularly praising Arsenal's consistency over the past two seasons.
Guardiola ended his remarks with a call to action for his players, urging them to embrace the challenge and prove their desire to win. He added: "It’s a good warning for me. If I'm not able to do it, the club will decide what to do. In the end you have to get results."
Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp.
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Liverpool.com says: Excuse us while we get the tiny violins out. Guardiola complaining that it 'isn't fair' that his team is expected to win every week won't exactly get much sympathy from elsewhere.
Having spent as much as City has over the years, it should be winning practically every game, and it's testament to Liverpool and Arsenal that it looks like there might actually be a title race this season. Hopefully Klopp doesn't rise to this thinly veiled dig and focuses on his own side.
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