Pep Guardiola has warned Manchester City that they cannot keep relying on comebacks after their 4-2 win over Tottenham, appealing to players and fans to demand more from each other.
Guardiola looked furious at half-time when two defensive errors allowed Tottenham to score a quickfire double before the break, but City were rejuvenated in the second half and quickly got themselves level, before a Riyad Mahrez double earned the Blues three points.
The Etihad was bouncing at full-time after another impressive comeback, but Guardiola was far from impressed at the first-half performance that followed back-to-back defeats last week. In broadcast interviews, Guardiola said he didn't recognise his team, accusing them of lacking passion and desire, adding that he wanted more from his fans after they booed City at half time.
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Speaking in his full-time press conference, Guardiola said he didn't expect City to come back against Tottenham, stated that they would be 'destroyed' by Arsenal if they replicated recent performances, and stated he didn't want to be a 'happy flowers' club.
"I want a reaction for all the club, all the reaction," he said. "Not just players staff and everyone. We are a happy flowers team. I don't want to be happy flowers, I want to beat Arsenal. If we play in that way Arsenal will destroy us.
"I'm incredibly happy. But without change we aren't going to win anything. I said 'I don't care if we don't win anything', I said the last years I said I have to see my team, you have to have passion for something. If our fans are comfortable, are you going to tell me we played bad in the first half? Absolutely not.
"Against that team plays a good build-up, what a striker Harry Kane, Kulusevski, Son, even Bentancur, Hojbjerg. The organisation they have. I'm sure people wouldn't agree with me but they are a fantastic team. We didn't concede anything. At the beginning of the game, you have to see something is wrong and react. It's too late."
Asked why he felt those ingredients were missing, Guardiola continued, suggesting City are lacking the drive to compete for another title.
"We have the problem we have four Premier Leagues in five years and Arsenal have two decades without nothing," he replied.
"Gabby [Jesus] and [Aleks] Zinchenko, they didn't win every Premier League but every game, every ball, every action, every time is there. We miss it, we don't have it.
"Rico Lewis concedes four fouls, who defends him? I know it's not a yellow because he's 18. Who defends him? No-one. You think I said anything special at half-time? I know I don't play Joao [Cancelo], Kyle [Walker], Aymer [Laporte], Bernardo [Silva], Kevin [De Bruyne]. It's not about that, with them it's the same.
"Play bad? No. We always play good. The quality we have we do it. It's not about that, now I'm happy they prove me. We give the goals, today it's Eddy or Rodri. The other day will be a central defender or full-back. It's not about that, it's about our fans. I'm here. Just listen to the Spurs fans.
"Of course we're going to come back, we have to. Have to move the team. I want the passion from Julian [Alvarez], I want it from Rodri, from Nathan. I want every ball happen. 1-0, free kick, Rico and Manu, all the players upfront, nine players to find and they play short.
"After, the manager has to tell them this? You think I said something tactical at half time? Why should we change. We were playing good. It doesn't matter the substitutions. It's that right now we don't have it."
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