Is Pep’s search for perfection realistic?
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
FREE TO WATCH: Highlights from Man City’s match against West Ham in the Premier League.
Arsenal were knocked off their perch, temporarily at least, at the top of the Premier League for the first time since September when Manchester City beat West Ham 3-0 on Saturday. But that is not enough for perfectionist Pep. He has never been a win-by-any-means manager. Performance matters.
The heat is certainly on the Gunners with Man City on a five-game winning streak in the league, scoring 18 times in the process, but Guardiola likes to analyse each game in intricate detail and he saw plenty that frustrated him. He referenced November’s Leeds result post-match, likening the situation after half time to that game.
Last month, City conceded twice to Leeds shortly after half-time before nicking a late winner, on this occasion they conceded chances but crucially not goals, needing three saves from Gianluigi Donnarumma. Against better finishers perhaps the outcome would have been different.No observer of City this season believes them to be the finished article, least of all Pep. His demand for more control is probably fair and yet the graphic above will tell you how little ground they actually conceded.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola admits his side cannot beat title challengers Arsenal if they do not improve – despite winning their seventh game in a row.
As the fight for Christmas No 1 reaches its climax, more than anything, Pep’s post-match declarations calling for ‘more bravery’ seemed to be a message to Arsenal: We will be better. And it can’t hurt to keep his players grounded either. They are yet to put together what Pep would describe a complete performance, but there’s no doubt they are getting closer. Arsenal will be all too…
2025-12-20 19:00:00
