Pep Guardiola has told the media that Manchester City are held to higher standards than their Premier League rivals. The City manager was speaking before his side’s clash with Luton Town where he made the observation.
City’s recent dominance of English and European football has seen them set new standards in English football. After winning 5 of the past 6 Premier League titles, the UEFA Champions League last season and other domestic trophies they have raised the bar for what it takes to win the Premier League. With that level of success comes higher expectations each season. Coming off the treble last campaign the bar is set incredibly high for what is expected from Manchester City. Such is their dominance that if they don’t win the Premier League the season will be considered a failure.
Pep Guardiola told the media that City’s rivals aren’t held up to the same standard. He told the media: “The only team who is going to fail if they don’t win the Premier League is us. The rest? It’s a big success, any team. And at the end, they don’t win Arsenal, they don’t win Liverpool, they don’t win Chelsea, they don’t win everything, ‘It’s normal, City should win’. Ah, it’s unfair, it’s difficult, huh? To handle that in every week, in every three days, doing it over years and years.”
City’s manager is correct to state the difference in standards his side and their rivals are held to. On the back of last season’s treble-winning success, even more is demanded from Manchester City. But City’s achievements in recent years are such that they will be looked back upon as an era of dominance rather than the norm.
The City manager will be hoping his side returns to their lofty standards in today’s game against Luton Town.
