An important complement, City takes advantage to play in the FA Cup

Manchester City have returned from Abu Dhabi with a determined purpose. Nathan Ake said he allowed the players to "mentally relax a bit", and it was almost certainly better for them to train in t-shirts than in coats and such. And what allowed relaxation? According to a relaxed Ake, "get ready to attack the second half of the season."

Without a doubt, Guardiola ends the controversy and talks about Walker's status

This contrast sums up Pep Guardiola's City: one moment he can be calm and the next he's breathing down everyone's necks and passing them by. The feeling that takes over the Etihad is that it is becoming that time of the season when they start to come into action. Or, as Kyle Walker said after the Tottenham game: “The players we have here and the amount of trophies we have won, we know what it takes to get over the line. “This is the business end of the season.”

Time will tell whether City will be able to conquer Liverpool and keep Arsenal at bay in the race for the Premier League title, but other teams cannot be under any illusions that the Blues will not blink in their pursuit. They came from behind to beat both in a previous campaign and most of the City squad have experience of one, if not both, successful chases.

Last season also showed how the FA Cup could help City. A fourth round victory over Arsenal at the Etihad gave the team confidence that they could defeat the team that was slipping away in the title race, and they did. At the weekend, he scored the first goal at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. six tries was relief enough and doing so against an expanded allocation of 9,000 Blues added to the joy. That will be a major barrier that will be unlocked knowing they have to return to Spurs in the league (arguably their second most important trip after Anfield) and those three points could be crucial in the title race.

On mute, Guardiola avoids comments on Arteta's arrival at Barça

Guardiola's opportunities

It is not the first time with Guardiola that an achievement in one competition opens an opportunity in another. That game against Spurs later in the season will seem less daunting without that monkey on top of never having scored or won there; They will be more relaxed and more alert because of it. Before that, all City can do is win the game and try to apply even more pressure. Beating Burnley at home on Wednesday night will test Liverpool, who host Chelsea that same night. And with Erling Haaland expected to return, Guardiola and his players can attack with even more confidence.