Manchester Metropolis supervisor Pep Guardiola has claimed his facet’s issues won’t be solved by victory over Liverpool on Sunday and solely the return of key injured gamers can guarantee they’ll compete for trophies this season.
The effusive Catalan coach has been bodily and mentally marked by a dangerous sequence of six winless matches. After 5 straight defeats, Metropolis gave up a 3-0 lead to attract at house to Feyenoord within the Champions League on Tuesday night time.
Metropolis path Premier League-leading Liverpool by eight factors, a niche which might widen with one other loss on Merseyside this weekend. No Anfield crowd has seen Manchester Metropolis defeat Liverpool since 2003, when Nicolas Anelka nabbed a brace for the guests.
In a wild-eyed interview with Sky Sports activities forward of his facet’s journey alongside the M62, Guardiola warned one win wouldn’t resolve the membership’s issues. “We will probably be again when all of the gamers come again,” the supervisor shrugged. “We won’t be again by successful at Anfield. Till these gamers come again, we won’t be again. I am sorry to say that.
“I might like to say we’re going to win at Anfield after which 20 video games. However within the state of affairs we’re in, we won’t be again. The one likelihood we come again is that if John Stones is again – he’s injured and he will probably be a very long time, if Ruben Dias has come again after one month out and everyone seems to be a bit match once more, then we will probably be again.”
Metropolis have been with out their Ballon d’Or-winning defensive midfielder Rodri since September. The Spaniard’s alternative, Mateo Kovacic, was additionally compelled into the therapy room throughout November’s worldwide break.
Whereas Oscar Bobb is not anticipated again till February, doubts additionally loom over his fellow ahead Jeremy Doku. As Guardiola outlined, centre-back John Stones can be a big absentee.
Such is the proliferation of accidents all through Metropolis’s squad, Guardiola has overtly admitted to fielding half-fit gamers. Kevin De Bruyne, Nathan Ake, Ruben Dias, Kyle Walker and Manuel Akanji have all been nursing varied illnesses whereas making themselves accessible for choice.
“In fact, we will battle to win on Sunday,” Guardiola added. “However successful won’t change a lot. The temper, 5 factors, after all that can permit us to do this.
“However figuring out the truth and the workforce, we can not make targets to win the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cups. It is pointless when within the final six video games we’ve got not been in a position to win one.”
Guardiola acknowledged Metropolis have overturned factors deficits previously, however famous: “The issue is we had the squad, we had everybody roughly competing with one another. Now we do not have it.
“Now I inform my reflection: what do you ask for? Simply give me the gamers again! All I would like is that! The remainder? I do not care. I might like to lose the Premier League with the gamers.”
On the finish of a breathless alternate, Guardiola concluded: “I do not like not competing as a result of the gamers I’ve are injured. However it’s what it’s. It is life.”
