Pep Guardiola is predicting an “Aston Villa game” and a fraught final day rather than a procession to the Premier League title for Manchester City.
The defending champions host West Ham on Sunday knowing victory will earn them a record fourth consecutive English title but while the mid-table Hammers have little to play for in David Moyes’ final game, Guardiola believes it could be a repeat of City’s last game in 2022.
Then City went 2-0 down to Steven Gerrard’s team before scoring three goals in a five-minute comeback, with Ilkay Gundogan’s brace clinching the title, and Guardiola can envisage another afternoon when City risk losing their crown.
He said: “We need to win one game to be champions so everyone would love to be in our position. But it won’t be easy. I have the feeling it will be an Aston Villa game. We would love to be 3-0 up after 10 minutes but it isn’t going to happen.”
City won 2-0 at Tottenham on Tuesday but only after a goalless first half, and Guardiola is expecting for a similarly difficult match.
He added: “I’m ready to be a tough, tough game. I want to put in the minds of the players: look at Tottenham, how they fought for every ball, it was incredible aggression and commitment. I didn’t have any doubts about that. I only care about the 11 players at West Ham. That happened with Aston Villa and I know what happened. It’s going to happen the same.”
Guardiola believes his players understand they have the chance to make themselves a hero in the way Gundogan did two years ago or Sergio Aguero with his injury-time, title-winning goal in 2012.
“The fact that they live it not a long time ago means they feel it,” he added.
