Manchester City face a busy month as they look to win both the Premier League and the FA Cup to complete the domestic Treble
Manchester City head coach Pep Guardiola(Image: Robin Jones/Getty Images)
Pep Guardiola will rely on his full squad as Manchester City prepare for six fixtures in less than a month. City booked their place in the FA Cup final on Saturday, May 16 after beating Southampton 2-1 at Wembley Stadium. This result means their fixture away at AFC Bournemouth will need to be rearranged.
City are also waiting on a new date for their home clash with Crystal Palace. This was postponed due to the Blues’ involvement in the Carabao Cup final and has not been rescheduled because of Palace’s run in the Conference League. When asked about the upcoming fixture pile-up, Guardiola admitted: “Yeah it is terrible.
“That is why I need the squad. That is why I need all of them. We cannot play with the same players every three days. It will not be possible. We have to manage with the substitutions and everyone has to make a step forward.
Click here to find out the latest Manchester City news in our daily newsletter
“Of course I demand more from some of them, more and more and more, and this is what you have to do.”
Only Rayan Cherki, Matheus Nunes and Rayan Ait-Nouri started against both Burnley and Southampton and their efforts have put City in a great position to win three trophies this season.
Guardiola added: “When we started the season, I always expect that we will be at the top and win all the titles. Now that is not possible. After what happened last season, there was a little bit question marks this season, how a lot of players will react to many things and at the end, we found something.
“The players are in the best moment right now and taking it day by day. Before Arsenal and Burnley I said: ‘Okay guys, it is not much to talk.’
“They know perfectly that we have to win, score as most goals as possible and let’s see. It is game, good recover, game, recover, prepare well and no more than that.
“What I say many times, the club is defined in the latter stages when you are fighting for the titles. That is when you make a good season.
“Always we are there. I am so proud of that. I love to lift titles but not taking a step back against teams in League One, League Two, Championship because you are not there – putting in a bad performance – but that never happened.
“It happened maybe once, one and a half but not much. The rest we were always there and that defines the big clubs.
“Not all the clubs can win all the time but being at the end battling with Arsenal, with the Jurgen [Klopp] team, FA Cups, that is extraordinary so it is time to enjoy it. As a club, organisation, everyone has to be so proud.”