Eagle-eyed Pep can spot a banana skin
CITY BOSS WARY OF SAUDI DISTRACTION
PEP GUARDIOLA has warned his Manchester City stars to forget about becoming world champions and focus on avoiding another embarrassment against Crystal Palace.
After hosting Roy Hodgson’s side this afternoon, the Treble winners will jet straight off to Saudi Arabia to compete in the FIFA ClubWorld Cup.
But Palace have been a banana skin for City in recent years, with the Premier League champions losing two and drawing one of the past five meetings at the Etihad.
And Guardiola has urged his players not to think about the Saudi sunshine when their bogey team arrive.
He said: “This is my job – I will warn them or let them know how tricky it has always been.
“I have the feeling with Roy, with Patrick Vieira, Palace at home always has been so tricky.
“Everyone has to be involved to play quick but at the same time be patient, be careful of transitions, set pieces.
“They are really good on the second balls, their physicality is amazing. Always we struggle. Even at Selhurst Park we perform better than at the Etihad. It should not be like that but it happened in the past.
“We lost a lot of points against them here because what they do, they do really well.”
City have spoken openly of the ambition to win their first Club World Cup, but the manager believes the best way to prepare is by beating the Eagles.
“I want the players not to be desperate to win it, just play two games, win the first one, to deserve to play the final,” said Guardiola.
“And if we don’t win hopefully we will win the Champions League in the future to be back.
“Of course the motivation that we’ve never won that is important. Winning helps to win and winning against Palace will help us.”
City face Japanese side Urawa Red Diamonds in the Club World Cup semifinal on Tuesday. Despite their injury problems, Guardiola claims he has no plans to move in the January transfer market, although he admits that could change if players leave – with outof-favour England midfielder Kalvin Phillips a possible departure. Guardiola said: “Right now I don’t have anything in my mind. It depends if they leave or don’t leave. It depends on the squad.”