Manchester City have not had the ideal start in their bid for an unprecedented fourth straight Premier League trophy but manager Pep Guardiola said on Friday that they were up for the challenge with rich experience from their previous title runs.
City are fourth in the standings with a game in hand after just two wins in their last seven matches. But they have game in hand and they often find top gear in the new year. They trail league leaders Liverpool by five points. City will have enjoyed the festive fixtures, with slip-ups from their title rivals leaving them within touching distance of the top.
The newly crowned Club World Cup winners came out on top against a battling Everton and witnessed defeats for Arsenal, Aston Villa and Tottenham in the latest round of games, with only leaders Liverpool bucking the trend.
Guardiola’s side have also failed to keep a clean sheet since October and the Spaniard said teams in the bottom half of the table have closed the gap to the heavyweights this season. “The lower teams in the bottom are getting points and results against the top teams. In the last few seasons, it didn’t happen much, but the top teams are struggling to get the results,” Guardiola told reporters.
“So never give up, keep going and go game by game. We are used to it in the last seasons, we just need to be calm, analyse it. The Premier League is so long, there are many, many things. With Man City, many things are going to happen.”
City face bottom side Sheffield United today, a team they have beaten in all six Premier League meetings. But Erling Haaland is still unavailable along with Kevin De Bruyne, Jeremy Doku and John Stones. Haaland, the league’s top scorer with 14 goals, has not played since the start of December and has missed City’s last six games in all competitions. “Nothing has changed from the last games. The same are injured, plus John Stones,” Guardiola said.
City finish 2023 with five trophies having won the FIFA Club World Cup earlier this month to add to their treble from last season and the UEFA Super Cup in August, but Guardiola said the year could still have been better.
“Not bad at all. Could be better, always can be better. Don’t be greedy too much,” he said.
“When we lose a game, we are out of the title race. When we win a game, we are there. It’s the same for our contenders. “Everything can happen, maybe the results we cannot expect. The last game of the year and then in January it’s more relaxed and we have more days for recovery.”
Newcastle’s Howe
under pressureEddie Howe has transformed Newcastle during his two years in charge – from a club in danger of relegation to a Champions League side – but he is coming under growing pressure. Given the circumstances, the Magpies’ boss would not choose a daunting trip to the home of Liverpool, who are looking increasingly credible as title contenders.
Newcastle will travel to Anfield on New Year’s Day with just one win in their past seven games in all competitions – they have crashed out of the Champions League, the League Cup, and slipped to ninth in the Premier League.
Howe, 46, has the excuse of a punishing injury list and he is without Italy midfielder Sandro Tonali, serving a suspension for breaching betting rules. But he will know the club’s Saudi owners desire to see signs of sustained progress.
Until recently Luton appeared destined for a quick return to the Championship but wins against Newcastle and Sheffield United have lifted them to within touching distance of a clutch of clubs above them. Everton, Nottingham Forest, Crystal Palace and Brentford are all now nervously glancing over their shoulders. Luton manager Rob Edwards hailed his men after their 3-2 win against Sheffield United this week during a “tough period” for his side following a cardiac arrest on the pitch for his captain Tom Lockyer earlier this month.
Edwards believes Luton are “changing the narrative a little bit around ourselves” but says they need to continue backing it up. Luton lost 3-0 to Chelsea in the reverse fixture in August - a bright spot in an inconsistent season for Mauricio Pochettino’s men. But they will fancy their chances at their Kenilworth Road ground.

Fixtures
Today: (1500 GMT unless stated): Luton v Chelsea (1230), Aston Villa v Burnley, Crystal Palace v Brentford, Manchester City v Sheffield United, Wolves v Everton, Nottingham Forest v Manchester United (1730)
Tomorrow: (1400): Fulham v Arsenal, Tottenham v Bournemouth
Monday: Liverpool v Newcastle (2000)
Tuesday: West Ham v Brighton (1930)