Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has admitted that his side will need a ‘perfect game’ to overturn their Champions League deficit to Liverpool. City were turned over 3-0 on Wednesday by Liverpool in the first leg of their quarter-final tie at Anfield with goals from Mohamed Salah, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Sadio Mane.
Manchester City defeated Liverpool 5-0 in the Premier League at the Etihad in September and Guardiola still believes a repeat is still possible. “Of course, to go through you have to make perfect game,” Guardiola said during his pre-match press conference on Monday. “Create chances, be clinical, concede few chances. All the conditions have to be perfect. The result is tough but we have 90 minutes, and in football everything can happen.
“What we are going to do is try. We have to score the first one, then make the second one. We’ll see the momentum, try to keep it longer and then we’ll see.” Manchester City lost 3-2 to Manchester United in the Premier League last Sunday at the Etihad Stadium but Guardiola insisted that he was happy with his team’s performance in the Manchester derby. He said: “In these competitions it’s how you handle the emotions. Even in the best teams in the world, you concede one and then three or four. It can happen. I’m delighted to lose the way we lost against United. We were sad but we have six more chances (games). The way we played was outstanding. I can’t say anything else about that.” Guardiola confessed that City must win the Champions League title sometime soon to justify the club’s investment. He added: “We need titles in Europe, that is so complicated. What this club has done in the last 10 years in terms of creating amazing facilities with a lot of investment, sooner or later it is going to happen. “If it doesn’t happen this season maybe it will be next. Sooner or later it will happen.” The Spaniard also played down fears that Liverpool will be attacked by Manchester City fans in revenge for last week’s attack on their own team bus at Anfield. Guardiola and his players were attacked by Liverpool fans when they arrived at Anfield last Wednesday but he insisted that Manchester security will prevent such from taking place in Etihad. “Since I am here it has never happened,” he said. “Opponents arrive in the right way; you don’t need to ask me. You knew it before Liverpool and it happened. Where were the police? Tomorrow the police know what they have to do. “I wish they will come and see a football game. Come here and support us. They know anything can happen. They can applaud, boo, whatever.” The City boss confirmed that Sergio Aguero will be fit to start against liverpool after his ugly challenge against Manchester United’s Ashley Young which could easily have resulted in a penalty and red card. “He (Aguero) dived,” Guardiola said cheekily.
COMMENTS