Pep Guardiola has told the media that his team set themselves for this stage of the season. February is a crucial month in the world champions season and they can set themselves up for what comes if they successfully navigate a busy period of their schedule.
With last weekend’s results, the champions now sit only two points behind Liverpool with a game in hand. While there are still 16 games left on City’s Premier League schedule their destiny is in their hands so to speak.
The UEFA Champions League also resumes this month and if the European champions can see off FC Copenhagen over two legs it could lay the foundation for their treble defence. They will also face Luton Town in the FA Cup fifth round and a positive result at Kenilworth Road at the end of February could see City have a solid foundation in their chase to defend the treble.
But for that to become a possibility City must first navigate a busy month ahead. Pep Guardiola was asked during his pre-game press conference before their Premier clash with Everton if his team relishes this time of the season. Guardiola said the work done now can lay the foundation for what comes next. He said: “What I like is that still we are there, I’ve said it many times. We are close to top of the league, and in the other competitions we are there, qualified, this is what I like in these stages. Hopefully, we arrive in March with the same feeling, and in April with the same feeling, and we will fight for the titles in May. This is the target.”
The City squad set themselves for this time of the season
Guardiola was also asked if his Manchester City squad relish this time of the season. He said his squad knows the pressure involved as they chase a shot at history. He added: “Yeah, from the experience that we have together and we know that in these stages, every game is a final, every game that you drop points – especially in the Champions League and FA Cup – and 16 games is a lot of games in the Premier League, a lot, but knowing and seeing our contenders like Liverpool especially and Arsenal, but Aston Villa and Tottenham always they are there. So I don’t have the feeling that they’re going to drop much points. We have to try to continue that rhythm.”
With Manchester City setting themselves for a crucial month ahead the possibility of creating history could look into view at the end of the month. But first, the treble winners must navigate a busy month ahead. But they appear to have set themselves for what lies ahead as Guardiola explained.
