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Pep Guardiola demands more from Manchester City despite 100-goal milestone
Pep Guardiola believes his Manchester City team still have significant room for improvement despite scoring their 100th goal of the season in a 3-0 victory over Huddersfield Town.
City returned to within four points of Liverpool at the top of the Premier League with a clear-cut win, but Guardiola insisted that they should do better.
“The way we played we didn’t deserve more than three goals,” he said. “We will improve in the future. We have to demand more from ourselves in every game and do our best, but sometimes it’s difficult. They defended deep and man to man.”
After strikes from Danilo, Raheem Sterling and Leroy Sane brought City to their century of goals before the fourth round of the FA Cup, the City manager was quick to acknowledge the achievement.
“What we have done so far has been incredible, in the league and the Carabao Cup. We have an incredible number of points. But this game can teach us and show what we have to do to improve,” he said.
“During the season you have games when maybe you are not in the top level and it is important to win these games.
“We’ve scored a lot of goals. So far, so good. One team has been better but we’re in January and there’s many more games to play. You don’t win or lose the Premier League in January. We have to focus on what we have to do. If Liverpool win, we have to win. And if Liverpool lose then we also have to win.”
For Huddersfield, this defeat means they have gone 10 Premier League matches without a victory. Now 10 points from safety at the bottom, the omens could hardly be more bleak. Mark Hudson, the caretaker manager, however, refused to blame the players.
“It has been a long week,” he said. “I enjoyed it, especially seeing the players take on board what I asked and they fought until the last seconds of the game. I said thank you to all the players for what they have given me.”
It is likely to be Hudson’s sole game in charge because the Borussia Dortmund second-team coach Jan Siewert is expected to be appointed David Wagner’s permanent successor imminently.
As for Wagner, his departure was meant to be marked with a message of thanks to the supporters broadcast via the big screen at the John Smith Stadium just before kick-off.
It was somehow in keeping with Huddersfield’s hapless season that technical issues prevented it from being screened.