Pep Guardiola recently fired off a cheeky remark about Liverpool, insisting that even the runaway Premier League leaders cannot replicate Manchester City’s legendary 100-point record.
Moreover, his comments come as City’s title bid has collapsed. In addition, Guardiola’s words underscore a record that remains untouched since the 2017-18 season.
In that historic campaign, City clinched 100 points to secure their first top-flight triumph under Guardiola. Furthermore, no team has come close to matching or surpassing this remarkable feat. Consequently, his statement carries extra weight in modern football debates.
However, this season has seen City’s bid for a fifth consecutive league crown crumble dramatically. They now trail Arne Slot’s Liverpool by 16 points. Even if Liverpool clinches the title, they will still fall short of the City benchmark.
Guardiola did not hold back as he stated, “We took all the records in England. Who would do 100 points now in modern football? I’m waiting. Or four in a row? I’m waiting – with clubs like Bournemouth, Fulham and Wolves that you have to play.” Additionally, he emphasized, “They cannot do 100 points already – 99 but not 100.” His tone was both challenging and unapologetic.
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Furthermore, Guardiola acknowledged that City have lost their momentum this season. He recalled asking Ilkay Gundogan, “Two years ago you were here, you spent one year in Barcelona and then returned. Did you see changes in the Premier League?” In response, Gundogan highlighted the massive evolution in team preparation and tactics across all departments.
Moreover, Guardiola accepted that injuries and fatigue have taken their toll on the squad. He admitted, “We cannot do it for the injury problems we’ve had. Many players have clocked too many minutes and are exhausted, both physically and emotionally.” Therefore, he conceded that the team deserved a bad season after failing to maintain consistency.
In addition, City now face an uphill battle in Europe. After a 3-2 home defeat in the first leg of their Champions League knockout round play-off, their prospects to reach the last-16 have dimmed. Meanwhile, Arne Slot’s side maintains a 16-point advantage despite Liverpool’s 2-2 draw at Everton.
Finally, Guardiola critiqued his side’s inability to sustain performance for the full 90 minutes. He explained that during the second half against Madrid, City used to string together sequences of 20 to 30 passes in the opponent’s half. However, now they lose possession quickly, which exposes them to rapid counterattacks by players like Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius. Clearly, the team now takes risks and commits mistakes that were rare in previous years, marking a new challenge for the champions.
