Pep Guardiola sends brutal warning to Man City stars and urge them to prove their title credentials against United

Pep Guardiola has urged his Manchester City players to prove their title credentials this weekend against Manchester United as he gave them some home truths after an unacceptable performance at Southampton.

The champions’ status as Premier League title favourites has been called into question after a number of frustrating results in recent outings.

City were held to a draw by struggling Everton a fortnight ago and Guardiola admitted his team fell way below the standard he expects as they were dumped out of the Carabao Cup by Southampton in midweek.

City, second in the table, were also beaten by Brentford in their final match before the World Cup break in November.

By contrast, United have hit a rich vein of form and will head into Saturday’s derby showdown at Old Trafford fourth in the table and on the back of a run of eight successive wins in all competitions.

Erik ten Hag’s men have lost just once in 18 games since they were thrashed 6-3 by City at the Etihad Stadium in October and Guardiola now sees them as challengers in the title race.

The City manager said: “They are nine points behind Arsenal, we are five, four in front of United.

“There are 60-63 points to play for – lots of games – so, they are there.

“From my experience, when you say title challengers, you have to see the way they are playing, in those terms.

“To have confidence, my team or another team, it’s about the way we played, how consistent we are, not (just) results. It’s how your best players are playing.

“When I see the way United are playing, why not? Their play is good.

“It is nice for us, the challenge to prove ourselves again.” 

United’s season began in dismal fashion as they lost to Brighton and then suffered a humiliating 4-0 hammering at Brentford.

Guardiola has been impressed by how ten Hag has turned the situation around.

“I had the feeling that the strength and quality of Man United was always there,” he said.

“It’s just a question of being settled, patient and supporting the manager unconditionally. United are playing now how they played all their history.

“I said a few months ago that United are back. People say they’re not. They’re back. I knew it, I felt it.

“I’m not a big fan for United – honestly – but the success is fine, it’s good. He (ten Hag) deserves it. He’s doing really well and it will be a good game to prove ourselves.” 

Guardiola revealed he had to deliver a few harsh truths to his players after their loss at Southampton but, after all their successes of recent years, has no doubt they will bounce back.

He said: “The performance at Southampton I’ve never seen before but it happened. We have an average, whether we win or lose, and it’s below this average.

“But I don’t doubt for one single result. Just because we have been eliminated from the Carabao Cup, will I have doubts? No way. That is impossible – but I have to tell them the truth.”

This comes with several senior players left out of the starting XI since domestic football resumed after the World Cup, with Kalvin Phillips publicly castigated for returning from his break unfit to train and the likes of Joao Cancelo, Kyle Walker and Phil Foden left on the bench as the manager cited body language as the most important factor in his team selections. Guardiola will not accept his players using the World Cup as an excuse for inconsistency, telling them to find another club if they cannot cope with what they were previously able to.

“It’s because we want the lot,” he said. “Sometimes you have to drop a little bit. The performance at Southampton I’ve never seen before. It happened.

“You can say it’s one day, mistakes. It’s not allowed. We have an average, whether we win or lose, and it’s below below this average. You have to improve.

“I don’t put an excuse for the World Cup. All the teams played the World Cup.

“The other teams, and if we had more players it’s because you deserve it. Every season the teams in the Champions League and Europa League play the most minutes in the Premier League.

“We play all the time, the big clubs, 10-15 more games than others. If you think the competition is unfair, it’s unfair – we play more games than them. But if you don’t like it, go to teams who plays one game a week.

“If you won in the past that way, you should do it now. The World Cup? Come on – excuses at other places, not here.”