According to its manager, the group lives well in Manchester City. On Saturday, the Skyblues won without forcing Bournemouth (1-4), 19th in the Premier League. Beyond the result, Pep Guardiola’s players put their best foot forward, notably leading 0-4 after 51 minutes of play. A river score far from unique this season, in particular thanks to Norwegian striker Erling Haaland, author of his 27th goal in 24 league games.
So, in a post-match press conference, the Catalan technician hastened to highlight his players: “I am very satisfied with what I see every day. The atmosphere in the locker room is exceptional, the training sessions are really, really good. Everyone helps each other. Players would have been in trouble if they hadn’t. »
“When the fans come five or six hours by car, buy a ticket, with our salaries, we have to run whether it’s 3-0, 4-0, 5-0, believes Guardiola. People will say that I am a demagogue, but it is the truth. You can perform well or poorly. But as long as I’m in this club, you can never question the effort put into the performances. »
It may also be a way for Guardiola to respond to criticism of his Norwegian striker Haaland, who was targeted for his difficult adaptation to City’s game this week after the Champions League round of 16 first leg draw at Leipzig ( 1-1).