Despite the unprecedented six week break to the campaign due to a first-ever winter World Cup finals, City have made a fine fist of things so far this season.
Ahead of Wednesday’s Carabao Cup quarter-final away at Southampton, Guardiola’s squad lie second in the Premier League, are through to the last 16 of the Champions League and into the fourth round of the FA Cup.
With the season having only resumed just before Christmas, it means we face a gruelling and intense schedule looking ahead to the next few months.
For Guardiola however, the principles that have underpinned City’s remarkable success in recent years will again be key – even if the boss admits no-one knows about the potential long-term impact of the World Cup.
“We are in four competitions, but I am not saying we are going to win all competitions,” Pep stressed.
“Every season we fight as far as possible in all competitions otherwise we would not have won four Carabao Cups in five years.
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“We are still in the Carabao Cup and FA Cup with difficult draws.
“From day one I said we are going to try to win all of them, knowing that it’s almost impossible to win all four competitions. No-one in the whole history has done it.
“I do not have experience of a winter World Cup and I cannot handle it (the impact). I handle it by the body language of the players and how they perform on the pitch.
“Day by day, they play the game and the next one. I am concerned about how they play the last game, how the guys who didn’t play train the day after, how the body language is there.
“These kinds of things are always important for me. I am sorry, but now it (the Carabao Cup) is more important than United. Much, much more important.
“We want to reach the semi-final in one competition. (There are) A lot of Premier League games to play and the other competitions are the same.
“It’s about creating a good group of players that will push each other to win every single game.
“When we have that mindset, we will arrive at the end of the season with the big chances to fight for the titles.”
Play the video to watch Pep’s press conference in full…
