Monday, May 20, 2024 - Manchester City's astonishing numbers over seven years prove they are the greatest English club side of all time, manager Pep Guardiola has said.
City became the first club to lift four consecutive
top-flight titles after Phil Foden inspired them to a 3-1 victory over West Ham
on the Premier League's final day.
Guardiola admitted he is unsure what next year's motivation
will be now but insisted the legacy of this City squad will live on eternally
after they posted more than 90 points again and pipped Arsenal to the title by
two points.
Guardiola's claim is debatable given that Arsenal's
invincibles team and Manchester United's 1999 treble winning team are also seen
as legendary Premier League teams. Also, Pep Guardiola's team is a
multi-million-pound team with high-profile players on humongous salaries
compared to teams of the past. Also Leicester City, a modest club went against
the odds in 2016 to win the league. Also, Manchester City faces accusations of
breaking over 100 financial fair play rules over the last decade, a case still
in court.
'A team has never done these
numbers and this is the standard,' Guardiola said. 'This I what the opponents
have to do to beat this generation of player. In terms of numbers, nobody has
been better than us - the records, the goals, the points and four in a row. If
I landed here tomorrow and you say I will win six Premier Leagues in seven
years, I would ask if you were crazy. It's impossible. We have done something
unbelievable.'
Guardiola, whose contract runs out at the end of next
season, choked up when discussing Jurgen Klopp's farewell at Liverpool and sang
the praises of Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta.
He said: 'I'm sure Mikel will continue his legacy to drive
us to another level. With Arsenal, we get the message = they will be there for
many years.
'I had the feeling in
Istanbul last year (after City won the Treble) that it's over, there's nothing
left to achieve. But I have a contract, I'm still here. Some of the moments I'm
a bit tired but some of the moments I love.
'Now it (four in a row) is
done, so what next? The FA Cup. Gary Lineker told me no team has done
back-to-back Doubles.'
On the prospect of winning a fifth straight league title
next season, Guardiola added: 'Now I don't know what exactly the motivation is
to do it.
'But knowing the players and
myself, I know that next year we will say, 'Why should we not win today?' Why
should we not work as much as possible to do what we have to do? And I know we
are going to do it.'
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