Pep Guardiola did not think it was important for his side to win against Sheffield United on Saturday, despite mounting pressure on the Premier League leaders.
The champions capped a memorable 2023 with a comfortable 2-0 win over the struggling Blades at the Etihad Stadium thanks to goals from Rodri and Julian Alvarez.
As a result, City fell two points behind leaders Liverpool. They are coming off a difficult month with nine matches, including two at the Club World Cup in Saudi Arabia. It might look scary to the rest of the league, but City manager Guardiola did not want to get caught up in such negotiations.Guardiola: “What we did in the past does not mean it will happen in the future. Happy birthday and off to Huddersfield after a three day holiday. No more.
Except for two or three games, we were better than our opponents and didn’t get the results we deserved. But this is a business and you have to win the game. “I did it today and I’m very happy for the players. It’s been a busy month.”Guardiola initially felt City were not up to par but was pleased with the way they progressed. He said: “The first half was a bit slow. The body language of the players – they didn’t talk, they didn’t talk, they didn’t laugh, they didn’t shout. “Okay, we’ve got to play a football game,” but that’s not how football games work.
For the first time, during the break, I didn’t say anything about tactics. I sat in a chair and said, “Guys, come up with a different rhythm in terms of laughing and enjoying what you’re doing. “We will not do what happened against Crystal Palace.””The first 15 minutes of the second half were the best I’ve ever played.”Guardiola also praised the “fantastic commitment” of Jack Grealish, who arrived at City just days after his home was broken into.
The defeat left Sheffield United bottom of the table, but manager Chris Wilder saw some positives in the attitude of his players. He said: “I felt like I played football for about 5 hours. When you first go out and look at five products, it becomes very clear what you are doing.We shed light on the Premier League experience, but what we don’t shed light on is the struggles or the personalities.
impressed me from the moment I entered the door. “It’s very difficult to get here, even for the best teams. We kept and it was a good experience for young children. There are no flaws in this game.”
