MX23RW : Tuesday, November 5 08:01:11| >> :60:1644:1644:
[monks data]
Crystal Palace logo
Premier League | Gameweek 34
May 1, 2021 at 12.30pm UK
Selhurst Park
Manchester City logo

Crystal Palace
0 - 2
Man City


Milivojevic (49'), Kouyate (81')
FT(HT: 0-0)
Aguero (57'), Torres (59')

Pep Guardiola hopes to see Man City wrap up title "as soon as possible"

Pep Guardiola hopes to see Man City wrap up title
© Reuters
City will be crowned Premier League champions if Liverpool beat Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday.

Pep Guardiola would rather Manchester City wrap up the Premier League title this weekend and will take a look at what is happening at Old Trafford on Sunday.

A 2-0 win away to Crystal Palace has put the leaders on the verge of another top-flight crown and it will be confirmed if second-placed Manchester United lose at home to Liverpool.

If City fail to receive a helping hand from Jurgen Klopp’s side, they can seal a third title in four years at the Etihad Stadium against Chelsea next Saturday.

Second-half strikes by Sergio Aguero and Ferran Torres in the capital ensured Guardiola’s men have one hand on the Premier League trophy following a 25th top-flight victory of the campaign.

Asked if he would rather seal more title success on home turf next weekend, the Spaniard insisted: “No, as soon as possible.

“I will take a look at the (Manchester United) game and what happens, happens but the most important thing is the fact we do not need them to be champions.

“Again it is in our hands. If we don’t win it tomorrow, we try to do it next week, if not next week, the next week. We have four games, we need two points in four games to be champions.”

City stalwart Aguero was key to this triumph in London after Palace had been able to frustrate the visitors during a competitive first half.

Sergio Aguero scores the opening goal for City
Sergio Aguero scores the opening goal for City (Catherine Ivill/PA)

The club’s record goalscorer will depart at the end of the season, following a difficult year where he has struggled with injuries, but showed his class with goal number 182 in the Premier League after 57 minutes.

“He is an absolutely top, legend, extraordinary player behaving as the most humble and nicest human being and it is not easy to find that,” Guardiola added.

“That’s why I love him as a man, another player in his situation and what he has done could create conflict and a difficult situation.

“When one guy is beloved like he is for all our fans, it is not just for scoring a thousand million goals. It is because he is something that the people realise, that you cannot hide away as a person.

Pep Guardiola will watch the game at Old Trafford on Sunday
Pep Guardiola will watch the game at Old Trafford on Sunday (Steven Paston/PA)

“This season we took a decision, a difficult one, one of the toughest ones I took especially because he was injured for a long time and this club next season needs to make another step to maintain this level for a longer time.

“But what he has done in this club will remain forever and we want to finish the best way possible.

“And he is going to help us in the Champions League and going to help us in the Premier League to finish it. It is not easy to find a player like him with these numbers and achievements being like he is as a human being.”

City remain on track for a treble and turn their focus to Tuesday’s meeting with Paris St Germain where they could progress to a first-ever Champions League final.

Palace manager Roy Hodgson watched the first leg of their last-four clash earlier this week and got to see Guardiola’s players first hand on Saturday.

Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson shares a joke with Kevin De Bruyne
Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson shares a joke with Kevin De Bruyne (Steven Paston/PA)

It made him rethink who is the best team he has ever coached against during a career which started back in 1976.

Hodgson said: “Watching them as close as I have done these last four years in the league, and seeing the way Pep has worked with this team, I have got to say I don’t think I have ever come across a team that good.

“If you did really twist my arm and give me one team that might give them a good game, I’d say the Ajax team of Johan Cruyff in 1987, with the Van Bastens and Bergkamps.

“I have often said in the past that was the toughest encounter I faced, Malmo vs Ajax, and in the future I might have to change my mind and put Man City up there instead.”

ID:445657:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:collect9646:No Data Analysis info

Click here for more stories about Pep Guardiola

Click here for more stories about Manchester City

Collect / Create New Data
Share this article now:
Sports Mole Logo
Enter your email address to subscribe to Sports Mole's free daily transfer newsletter! Sent twice a day during the transfer window.
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
1.15am
Buccaneers
@
Chiefs
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool108111961325
2Manchester CityMan City1072121111023
3Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest10541147719
4Chelsea105322012818
5Arsenal105321711618
6Aston Villa105321715218
7Tottenham HotspurSpurs1051422111116
8Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton104421714316
9Fulham104331413115
10Bournemouth104331312115
11Newcastle UnitedNewcastle104331010015
12Brentford104151920-113
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd10334912-312
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham103251319-611
15Leicester CityLeicester102441418-410
16Everton102351017-79
17Crystal Palace10145813-57
18Ipswich TownIpswich100551021-115
19Southampton10118719-124
20Wolverhampton WanderersWolves100371427-133


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!