Pep Guardiola has acknowledged that Manchester City are “not a complete team” but remains confident that his side can still close the gap on Premier League leaders Arsenal.
City were held to a 2-2 draw by lowly Nottingham Forest midweek, a result that dented their title challenge. Second in the table, the Blues sit seven points behind Arsenal, although they have a game in hand and are due to host the Gunners in April.
Guardiola highlighted that while City are still a work in progress, their history of bouncing back from disappointing results offers hope.
“Normally we react well. We have the ability to forget quickly. We are not a complete team to compete, that is the reality. We are in the process of many changes. But if we can learn faster, nothing is lost. We can arrive in the last month with our chances,” Guardiola said.
He also expressed optimism about the future, pointing to the next season as an opportunity for improvement, suggesting he plans to remain at Etihad Stadium for the final year of his current contract.
“I’m pretty sure next season will be better. I don’t have doubts about that,” he added.
Guardiola looks ahead to Saturday’s FA Cup fifth-round tie against Newcastle United, although the timing of the match at 20:00 GMT creates mixed feelings. While it allows extra recovery after the Forest draw, it reduces preparation time for Wednesday’s Champions League last 16 first leg against Real Madrid.
“Recovery is massively important—rest, sleep, food, training. We know how to handle it. Of course, arriving early is better than late for recovery, but it is what it is,” he said.
He also reflected on the balance of domestic and European commitments:
“In England, what happens in the League Cup can be more important than Champions League games for English teams. I don’t ask for anything, and if we play at 8pm, we play at 8pm.”
