Manager fully focused on must-win Premier League game at West Ham on Saturday
Pep Guardiola is completely focused on Manchester City’s trip to West Ham, a game his side have to win or abandon all hope of pipping Arsenal to the Premier League title.
There is no space to think about Real Madrid just yet. Accordingly, in his pre-match press conference City’s manager brushed aside all questions about the club’s performance in midweek and the daunting task of overturning a three-goal deficit next week.
“West Ham, now is West Ham,” said Guardiola. “These kind of games, it is hard. For many plans you have, it doesn’t happen. You play the game you have to play and after the game will dictate whether you have a chance or not. It’s difficult, yes.
“With the travel and the three days [between games], we cannot play the same 11. Of course, we will make changes, but I am not thinking about that. The amount of Premier Leagues we have won in the last years is not important.
“My mind is West Ham. I understand completely why you asked me about Real Madrid, but my focus the day after when I woke up is Nuno [Espirito Santo], West Ham and what we have to do.”
City currently sit second in the Premier League table, seven points behind leaders Arsenal, though Guardiola’s side still have a game in hand. The Spaniard knows there is little margin for error ahead of the run-in.
Guardiola said: “Not many dollars in the bank for us but we will see. Now is West Ham. The Premier League, I believe, is the most difficult [title to win] and still we are there knowing that if we drop points it will be over.”
City can continue to apply pressure on the gunners by winning at the London Stadium, but their opponents West Ham are in form and fighting desperately to avoid relegation. They will not be easy to beat but Guardiola wants his team to give it their all.
“Every game is important and we have been here struggling many months for the Premier League,” Guardiola said. “We will not give up our fight until the end without trying.”
