Pep Guardiola believes his Manchester Metropolis gamers are thriving below the strain of the title run-in.
Metropolis loved an excellent weekend of their quest for a fourth successive Premier League crown as an emphatic victory over Luton, coupled with defeats for rivals Liverpool and Arsenal, put them high of the desk.
Guardiola’s facet are actually not solely clear favourites to retain their title however in a powerful place to safe an unprecedented second treble in succession.
“They wish to play the strain,” stated Metropolis supervisor Guardiola, talking after Saturday’s 5-1 hammering of the Hatters. “They prefer it when you’re useless or alive.
“That doesn’t imply we’re going to do it however I’m fairly positive we shall be there till the top as a result of I do know them, I see their faces within the conferences earlier than video games and the way they put together.
“Which means we’ll be Premier League champions? No, no. I’m not saying that. However we’ll compete, that’s for positive.”
Metropolis now head into two decisive knockout video games in opposition to Actual Madrid within the Champions League and Chelsea within the FA Cup over the approaching week in good coronary heart.
Actual are the primary up on the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday for the second leg of a quarter-final tie that’s evenly poised at 3-3 after a pulsating recreation within the Spanish capital final week.
Full-back Kyle Walker, who has missed the final 5 video games with a hamstring damage sustained on worldwide obligation final month, may return after being an unused substitute in opposition to Luton.
Guardiola stated: “He feels a lot better however he was injured, so now we’ll see within the subsequent days. However he’s good, he feels good.
“Possibly he will help with minutes as a result of it’s a ‘ultimate’ however I don’t wish to lose him for a very long time if he will get injured. He’ll practice a bit extra now and we’ll resolve.
“I understand how necessary Kyle is in opposition to the gamers from Actual Madrid however he was not in Madrid and Manu (Akanji), Josko (Gvardiol), John (Stones) and Ruben (Dias) performed extremely nicely. We’ll see.”
Fellow defender Stones needs to be match regardless of being neglected of the squad altogether on Saturday as a precaution.
Guardiola stated: “He had some issues, some niggles, however he’s effective.
“He’s not injured however he felt uncomfortable and we didn’t wish to take dangers. That’s all.”
