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Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola says in-form players cannot take places for granted

Guardiola reminded his players that they cannot rest on their laurels

Mark Critchley
Northern Football Correspondent
Sunday 24 September 2017 22:31 BST
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Pep Guardiola's side have scored five or more goals in three straight league games
Pep Guardiola's side have scored five or more goals in three straight league games

Pep Guardiola has warned his Manchester City players that they cannot allow their performance levels to even slightly drop, such is the standard of competition within his squad.

City established their position at the top of the Premier League table on Saturday by trouncing Roy Hodgson’s pointless Crystal Palace in a comprehensive 5-0 victory at the Etihad.

A brace from Raheem Sterling, a Sergio Aguero header and a long-range Fabian Delph strike securing the three points after Leroy Sané had found the breakthrough at the end of the first half.

Such was City’s dominance, Guardiola did not have to call on the services of Gabriel Jesus, who he left out of his starting line-up for the first time this season.

Yaya Toure was another unused substitute, three days after making his only appearance of the campaign so far in the EFL Cup victory at West Bromwich Albion.

Guardiola has a number of in-form players to choose from within his ranks now, but he has made it clear to every squad member that no position is safe and that any slight drop in performance could lead to them being replaced.


“They know that. I don't necessarily have to tell them, they know that, they feel that. They feel the team-mate is alongside them,” Guardiola said.

“That is the best way, because you cannot play the same players just three days in a row. We need that. We need the next guys, they have to play good. If they want to win, they have to have their best performance.

“That's why we need Gundogan to come back to put pressure on Kevin [De Bruyne] and David [Silva],” he added. “Everybody has to push the other one.”

City’s margin of victory over Palace meant they became the first to score five or more goals in three consecutive games since Blackburn Rovers in the 1958/59 campaign.

More significantly, it allowed Guardiola’s side to edge clear of Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United at the top of the Premier League table on goal difference.

The Catalan, however, is paying little attention to the goal difference column and is simply happy that his players are scoring.

“We are in September. In March, when absolutely everything is tight, then we can start to consider it.

“Of course we want to score goals, we've got to play for that, for our fans, for us, but now I don't think about winning or losing the Premier League or being in the Champions League next season for goal difference.

“Last season, the last four or five games, we spoke about that. But now it's too early,” he added. “Chelsea won 4-0 at Stoke City. United have five clean sheets. It's such tough competition. All the big teams are strong.”

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