Pep Guardiola has warned Manchester City against complacency ahead of their crucial Premier League clash against Bournemouth on Tuesday.
The FA Cup champions head to the Vitality Stadium in a crucial league encounter and know that anything below a win would see Arsenal crowned champions.
City head into the clash five points behind Arsenal and a win would send the title race down to the last day, giving them slight hopes of a win.
Speaking ahead of the clash, Guardiola has urged his side to be well prepared and focused on the clash at hand against a Bournemouth side currently on a long unbeaten run.
“It’s always difficult [against Bournemouth], it always has been,” Guardiola said.
“Last season it was one of our worst performances in the Premier League. And when we played in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup last season, we played really good, so we’ll see which phase we can do tomorrow.”
Manchester City recorded a 1-0 win over Chelsea on Sunday to win the FA Cup and complete the domestic cup double in England.
Antoine Semenyo’s superb flick in the second half sealed victory for them as they added the competition to the EFL Cup they won back in March, when Nico O’Reilly scored twice in a 2-0 win over Arsenal.
“We’ve had three days [since the FA Cup final]. They’ve had 10 days to prepare for the game and they play to qualify for the Champions League, so I think they have an argument to be the best version of Bournemouth, and I’m pretty sure that’s going to happen”, Guardiola remarked.
Manchester City must seal maximum points against Bournemouth to ensure the title race goes down to the final day and also keep their hopes of a domestic treble alive.
Olakitan is a young writer with a strong passion for sports, having gained experience with IndyPress and Nimelssa Press. His enthusiasm for sports inspired him to cover events both within his school and beyond. With a deep understanding of the game and a refined skillset, he brings sports coverage to a broad, global audience in a way that’s engaging and accessible.
