Pep Guardiola admits Manchester City have “no chance” of winning the Premier League this season and is targeting reinforcements during the January transfer window to help salvage their campaign.
The City manager marked his 500th game in charge with a nervy 2-0 victory over Leicester on Sunday. Although the win lifted City to fifth place, they remain a daunting 14 points behind league leaders Liverpool, who also have a game in hand.
“We are far from winning the Premier League,” Guardiola said in an interview with BBC’s Match of the Day. “We accept that there’s no chance of that, but we still have other things to fight for, like the FA Cup, securing a top-four finish, and winning games in general.”
City, who have dominated English football in recent years with six of the last seven league titles, have struggled this season. Before the win over Leicester, they had won only one of their previous 13 Premier League matches, suffering nine defeats.
Guardiola, clearly relieved after snapping a five-game winless streak, shared his emotions: “Relief is the word. We’ve done incredible things, but now we’re struggling to win games, so it’s just relief.”
Injuries and Transfer Needs
Guardiola pointed to injuries as a major factor behind City’s underperformance, particularly the absence of key players. The club is facing a growing injury crisis, with Ballon d’Or-winning midfielder Rodri ruled out for the season with a knee injury. Other missing players include Ruben Dias, John Stones, Ederson, Oscar Bobb, and Matheus Nunes, who were all absent for the Leicester game.
“In some positions, we need help,” Guardiola acknowledged. “When everyone is fit, we’re the team we were, but with key players out for weeks and months, it’s incredibly difficult to maintain our level.”
With the January transfer window fast approaching, Guardiola is hoping for reinforcements to address the club’s issues and improve their chances in domestic and European competitions.
