Pep Guardiola has once again voiced his concerns about Manchester City’s crowded fixture schedule.
His team’s narrow 1-0 victory over Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium on Saturday saw them inch closer to league leaders Liverpool by just one point. The crucial goal came from Phil Foden in the first half, marking his 16th of the season, after Erling Haaland’s initial shot was parried by goalkeeper Neto.
The win extended City’s impressive unbeaten run to 17 matches and was the sixth victory in seven games they’ve played in February alone.
Guardiola’s squad faces another challenging fixture as they take on Luton Town in the fifth round of the Emirates FA Cup on Tuesday. This marks the end of a taxing month that has seen them juggle multiple competitions.
Looking ahead, City’s schedule remains packed with important Premier League clashes against the likes of Manchester United, Liverpool, Brighton, and Arsenal lined up for March, each potentially pivotal in their title pursuit.
City will also face a UEFA Champions League fixture and potentially an FA Cup quarter-final next month, with the Cityzens having already played 40 matches this season.
Following Saturday’s win over Bournemouth, Guardiola reiterated his fury with the fixture schedule, saying: “Thank you so much for the calendar. It’s too much. Absolutely. But the business must go on.”
“I adore my players. They are supermen. Playing every three days. When people say, ‘Can you play the same conditions in the Premier League?’ No. We play more games than everyone else.”
Manchester City could still retain last season’s historic treble, with the Blues competing in the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup.
Just two points continue to separate Liverpool, City and Arsenal in the Premier League table ahead of the final three months of the campaign.
