Pep Guardiola predicts that Manchester City will behind their opponents for a significant portion of the next Premier League season, but has a strategy to catch up.
On Friday night, City will begin defending their league championship for the third consecutive year when they travel to Burnley. Vincent Kompany will be seeking to upset his former team as the newly promoted Clarets look to make a statement upon their return to the top division.
With Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool, and Newcastle United all significantly bolstering their rosters in the summer, it appears that this Premier League season will rank among the most competitive of all time. Riyad Mahrez, a dependable goal threat, and captain Ilkay Gundogan will both be missed by City, who will have to adjust to life without them.
The Blues will lag behind their competitors early in the season, according to Guardiola, who thinks it would “not be possible” for his club to repeat as champions. But according to his strategy, the squad will continue to contend for the championship and then ramp up their effort in the season’s final months, as they have done to great success in prior seasons.
“I don’t want to forget what they achieved [the treble], I said in the press conference ahead of Community Shield, I don’t want to forget what they achieve why should we do it? They have to know. But we start again,” he commented.
“I was not expecting to do five Premier Leagues in seven years honestly, but they said: ‘Yeah but without the Champions League, it will not be enough,’ but okay now we have it. What’s next? Well, what’s next is Burnley.
I’m not going to promise you, never have, but to win the Premier League is very, very far. Many things is going to happen in 11 months, not just City at every club there will be ups and downs. Maybe the levels will drop down but not too much they’re going to drop for sure but not too much, stay, stay there.”