Defeat in Sunday’s Manchester Derby ended an incredible 21-match winning run and 28-game unbeaten streak, but City can put that behind them under the Etihad lights on Wednesday evening.
And while Guardiola pointed out that every match will push his side to their limits, he is convinced his players will do all they can to bounce back against the Saints.
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He said: “It’s not a bad moment. A bad moment is playing bad and not getting results in a lot of games.
“We are close - every team is fighting for something.
“We are seeing how tough the games are. Tomorrow will not be an exception.”
Our 1-0 victory in the reverse fixture back in December kicked off our phenomenal form since the turn of the year, with Raheem Sterling’s early goal enough to earn a hard-fought three points.
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Guardiola is prepared for another difficult encounter with the south coast side, and expects Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side to offer a stern test.
“I watch many Southampton games. The quality they do, we suffered a lot to beat them there,” he reflected on December’s triumph.
“We will have to do a good performance tomorrow to get the result.
“I am a big fan of the style Ralph and his team play. It’s another test to play good and try to win.
