Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola sent a message of composure after Saturday's 3-1 defeat to Liverpool in the Community Shield. Despite losing to their great rivals in English football in the first match of the season, the coach keeps faith in his team and players: "There is no reason not to be confident. What these lads have done, not only in the Premier League, in domestic cups and in Europe, says it all," says Guardiola.
"I don't know what will happen this season, but I'm sure I know these lads. I don't have doubts for a second. I don't have doubts about them for a second," stressed Pep, who last season led City to win a fourth Premier League title in five seasons but failed to ratify that status in the Community Shield against last term's FA Cup and League Cup winners Liverpool.
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Guardiola argues that “a few days ago we played against Bayern Munich and put in a very good performance (0-1 win in Green Bay (USA) with a goal from Erling Haaland) and against Liverpool we did very good things. I don't feel we're far away”.
Guardiola left new signing Kalvin Phillips on the bench in the Community Shield, but said the England international midfielder, signed this summer from Leeds for €48.7 million, will gradually be incorporated into the team.
City begin Premier League title defense next Sunday
City will start the defense of the Premier League next Sunday when they visit West Ham and Guardiola spoke of the new signing: ”He has confidence, he is ready to play," Guardiola said. "He arrived only three weeks ago and we have Rodri, Bernardo Silva and Ilkay Gündogan who already know our game. But step by step he will get it. In many games he is going to help us”.