EPL: Guardiola Dismisses Fixture Congestion, Says No Excuse In City Title Chase

Pep Guardiola has made it clear that Manchester City will not hide behind a congested fixture schedule if they ultimately fall short in the Premier League title race. With the season entering its decisive phase, the City manager stressed that successful teams must learn to thrive under pressure rather than seek excuses.

Currently sitting second in the league table, Guardiola’s side trail Arsenal by three points as the final weeks of the campaign loom large. However, City’s path to a potential seventh Premier League title under the Spaniard has been complicated by a rearranged calendar.

Their matches against Crystal Palace and Bournemouth have been rescheduled to dates on either side of the FA Cup final against Chelsea on May 16.

The changes were necessitated by City’s deep runs in both domestic cup competitions, but the new timetable means the team will have to play three times within a seven-day window from May 13 to 19. Their title run concludes with a trip to Aston Villa on May 24.

Reports had suggested City were less than pleased when the fixture changes were confirmed, particularly because the club felt the Palace match originally planned for March could have been moved to an earlier slot. Yet Guardiola refused to dwell on any perceived unfairness, instead framing the packed schedule as a natural byproduct of competing at the highest level in England.

“It is what it is. When we won the treble and the quadruple, we always had this kind of calendar,” the City boss told reporters on Friday. “Of course, it could be better, but I’ve never expected help. We’ll do that and go game by game.

“If you don’t like it, go and train in France or Portugal. I like being here, and I’ve said many times, when I was at Barcelona and saw managers here complain about the schedule, it has always been like this.”

City are chasing a seventh Premier League crown of the Guardiola era, hoping to capitalise on another stumble from title rivals Arsenal. The Gunners have previously let substantial leads slip away, allowing City to seize the trophy in both 2023 and 2024.

By the time City take the pitch at Everton on Monday, they could be six points behind Arsenal if Mikel Arteta’s side beat Fulham at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday. That Everton match represents the first of two games in hand for City in a race so finely balanced that the champion may ultimately be decided by goal difference or even goals scored.

“It’s normal, it’s the calendar. Sometimes you play first, sometimes behind,” Guardiola said. “It is what it is, and nothing changes at this stage you know exactly what you have to do.”

When asked whether he would be watching Arsenal’s match against Fulham, Guardiola claimed not even to know the fixture’s timing. “What time do they play? It’s after a training session, so maybe I will watch it,” said the 55-year-old Spaniard, his tone as unruffled as ever.