Pep Guardiola has promised that Manchester City will return to their best after a challenging season, following their 1-0 victory over Tottenham on Wednesday.
Erling Haaland’s goal in the 12th minute secured a crucial win for City, boosting their chances of qualifying for next season’s Champions League. However, the club’s struggles this season have been evident, as they currently sit fourth in the Premier League—a major drop from their dominant form in previous years.
Liverpool appear set to win the league, with City trailing 20 points behind the leaders. A 2-0 loss to the Reds on Sunday further highlighted their decline. To make matters worse, City have already been knocked out of the Champions League by Real Madrid, leaving the FA Cup as their only remaining shot at silverware this season.
Despite their setbacks, Guardiola remains confident in City’s future.
“This season, we are not the old City,” he admitted. “The old City was too good, but we will be back.”
City showed flashes of their former brilliance against Spurs, dominating the first half but failing to capitalize on several chances. In the second half, they had to withstand intense pressure from the hosts.
Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou acknowledged that his team’s eagerness to attack in the first half left them vulnerable.
“We were too wasteful and allowed City to control the game,” he said. “In the second half, we dominated possession and territory but just couldn’t find the goal.”
Tottenham, currently 13th in the table, are also enduring a disappointing season. Their best chance at silverware lies in the Europa League, as they look to end a 17-year trophy drought.
While both teams have faced challenges this season, Guardiola is determined to restore City to their former glory, insisting that they will return stronger.
