Pep Guardiola Optimistic About Team’s Progress Ahead of Everton Match
Pep Guardiola is feeling positive about Manchester City’s advancements this season as they prepare for their upcoming match against Everton. He also hinted at the potential return of Jack Grealish, who has had a significant impact at Everton since his loan move from City in August.
The England international has been instrumental for the Merseyside club, especially after finding himself lower in the ranks at the Etihad Stadium this season. Guardiola acknowledged that while Grealish cannot play against his parent club due to the loan agreement, he has been impressed by the player’s performance with Everton.
Guardiola commented, “He has one year left on his contract with us. The main point is that he is back playing. He has made a big difference in games for Everton. Depending on how things go, perhaps Manchester City will want him back, but that remains uncertain.” He expressed his satisfaction with Grealish’s return to form, stating, “I’m really happy that he is back and giving his all on the pitch.”
In addition, Guardiola expressed relief that he doesn’t have to strategize against Erling Haaland, who he described as being in outstanding shape. The Norwegian striker has already netted an impressive 21 goals in just 12 matches this season for both Manchester City and Norway, including a remarkable five-goal performance against Moldova and a hat trick against Israel, putting his national team on the verge of World Cup qualification for the first time since 1998.
Haaland’s tally of 12 goals for City this season brings his total to 136 goals since joining from Borussia Dortmund in 2022. Guardiola joked that opposing managers would need “four central defenders” to handle him effectively.
Reflecting on Haaland’s current form, Guardiola remarked, “I think this might be the best I’ve seen him. His overall performance, not just in scoring, has been exceptional.” He also noted that he feels little need to manage Haaland closely, indicating that support will be available should he experience any difficult periods. “What I mean is, he’ll face challenges because it’s impossible to maintain this level endlessly, but we are prepared to support him through any rough patches,” Guardiola added.
n
