Pep Guardiola made an astonishing remark, asserting that Liverpool cannot replicate Manchester City’s previous success this season.
The Spanish manager reflected on what his side has achieved during his nine-year tenure and explained why Arne Slot’s team can’t match Man City’s remarkable feat of 100 points.
Guardiola, who has also managed Barcelona and Bayern Munich, addressed Liverpool’s injury struggles this season, comparing them to those of other top teams like Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal, and his own squad.
As it stands, Liverpool leads the Premier League, sitting seven points clear of Arsenal ahead of a crucial run of fixtures, which includes matches against Aston Villa, Manchester City, and Newcastle United.
Meanwhile, in Greater Manchester, Guardiola’s side has experienced a notable dip in form, but he was quick to emphasize the impact of their own injury issues this season.
He said: “You always expect injuries throughout the season, not as much, but I would think it’s not just a problem for Man City.
“If you say Tottenham, Arsenal right now, except Liverpool that all the season was stable in them terms, many teams.
“When you accumulate season by season by season and at the end, the body says enough.
“The solution to prevent that?
“I think Jurgen Klopp, myself in the past, the solution is the calendar.
“I don’t find another reason why there’s a lot of injuries.”
Pep Guardiola added: “We took all the records in England, nobody had done four-in-a-row, four Premier’s (League) in a row, it’s different when you break your own records.
“We won the Champions League, four-in-a-row, have all the records, 100 points, in nine years we have had three really bad months.
“What people say, ‘Pep, what happened?’ No, no, no, not what happened but what has happened? That’s the problem.
“That’s not normal, it’s normal now but not normal in the past that’s for sure.
“Who will do 100 points in football now? I’m waiting. Or four-in-a-row?
“I’m waiting. Bournemouth, Fulham, Wolves will come back, the level they did.
“Gundo (Ilkay Gundogan) was in Barcelona for one year, come back (to the Premier League), difference in one year unbelievable.
“Teams are much, much, much better in all departments, people prepare so well because the standards we dictate.
“Liverpool. Have you seen Liverpool this season? Cannot do 100 points already, definitely not, 99 but not 100 and look at the season they’ve done.
“That’s the benchmark to say, ‘wow, what we have done’.
“It’s not an argument to defend what we’ve done in the last three months but perspective, is not what have happened but what happened.
“It’s irreplaceable, it’s so difficult to compare what we have done consistently for so many years and I could expect a drop but now, no.
“You cannot expect to lose a lot of games but the reality is, we have to accept it.
“Accept all the criticisms and the bad moments, we have to accept it because it’s not normal.
“But we have to accept it, what can you do? Cry? Complain? No.”
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