Pep sees tougher challenges ahead

LONDON • Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola laughed off suggestions on Friday that his team had already established control of the Premier League title race after Liverpool's early hiccups.

City and Liverpool were almost inseparable last season with City securing a fourth title in five years by a mere point on the final day.

Guardiola's side have begun the new campaign strongly with two wins from two games and no goals conceded, while Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool have drawn with Fulham and Crystal Palace.

"It's very early days. I'm sorry but after two fixtures we cannot make any plans about the future," Guardiola said ahead of today's trip to play Newcastle United.

"After two games? Yeah yeah, just 111 points to play for."

In a telling sign that he is not thinking of the title yet, he has actually calculated the points wrongly. With 36 games left, there are 108 points to play for and not 111.

Guardiola said a good pre-season had helped his players hit the ground running but insisted next month will be more challenging when games come thick and fast.

"The three weeks were good, good long weeks of training. In September that is not going to happen. We have to improve our principles, our game," the Spaniard added.

"The last two games were really good, and at some points unexpected. The players prove to me again how wrong I was."

Guardiola will be wary of a Newcastle side who have thrived under manager Eddie Howe and started the season in solid fashion with one win and one draw.

"They are exceptional players in terms of how direct and aggressive they are. They have important players. Newcastle away is always an incredible environment," Guardiola said, adding that he has no injury concerns with his squad.

After the Newcastle game, City will fly to Girona in Spain for a mid-season training camp and a charity friendly against Barcelona in honour of ex-Barcelona goalkeeper and assistant Juan Carlos Unzue, who was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or Lou Gehrig's disease in 2020.

Guardiola feels that the trip will be a good opportunity for his players to charge their batteries ahead of the resumption of the Champions League next month.

"We will be together and the facilities we have here are exceptional but at the same time sometimes a change is good," he said.

"It is the last time we have a long week, then every three days we have a game."

Howe has lost all 10 of his previous meetings with Guardiola - including last season's 5-0 defeat away and a 4-0 loss at home - but believes his side must relish the challenge of facing City.

"It's a good game at a really early stage of the season to see how far we've come as a team," he said. "I think it's a challenge to be attacked and relished rather than feared."

With City again setting the pace and bolstered by the arrival of Norwegian striker Erling Haaland, a Newcastle defence that has improved greatly since Howe took charge last November faces the ultimate test of its resilience.

Newcastle, like City, have not conceded in their first two games against Nottingham Forest (2-0) and Brighton & Hove Albion (0-0).

"I think our defenders are in a good place at the moment. I think as a team we've defended well," Howe said. "There's always room for improvement. We have to protect our defenders but we also have to give Manchester City a threat the other way, we can't be too passive in what we deliver."

He also confirmed that Ryan Fraser had recovered from a back spasm and should be fit while Matt Targett, who also missed the game against Brighton, will be assessed.

REUTERS

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