Pep Guardiola’s ‘honest’ feelings should worry Manchester City fans

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has issued an unusually frank assessment of the club’s Premier League title run, warning supporters that the run-in will be anything but serene. Speaking via transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, the Catalan conceded that dropped points are likely as the season reaches its climax.

“I promise you, I’m honest with you, many things are going to happen!” Guardiola said. “I have the feeling we are not going to win all the games, I don’t know about Arsenal. I have the feeling we are not going to win all the games, this is my feeling.”

The admission marks a departure from the air of inevitability that has surrounded City in recent title races, when relentless spring winning streaks effectively ended the contest before the final weeks. Guardiola’s tone now is one of caution, acknowledging that Arsenal’s sustained pressure at the summit has turned the championship chase into a potentially volatile affair.

Guardiola’s comments followed a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Newcastle United at the Etihad, a match that required resilience rather than the free-flowing dominance City have so often produced. Central to the win was Erling Haaland, who battled Newcastle defender Dan Burn throughout and earned special praise from his manager.

“Erling Haaland was Man of the Match for me!” Guardiola told Romano. “Because he fought with Dan Burn, against man-marking, you have to play more direct, and if you don’t fight for those balls 50/50, no chance. And he did it!”

The Norwegian’s physical contest with Burn encapsulated City’s need for adaptability when opponents stifle their usual passing lanes. While the three points kept City in control of their destiny, the narrow margin underscored Guardiola’s larger point: perfection can no longer be presumed.

With Arsenal maintaining pace and fixtures running out, City’s path to retaining the trophy appears set to twist through more tests of nerve and physicality than recent strolls to the finish line. Guardiola’s public realism may unsettle fans accustomed to late-season swagger, yet it also signals a manager acutely aware that every remaining point must be earned.