Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe will keep people’s feet in the ground for Man City trip but Guardiola is clearly concerned
FINAL VERDICT FROM ST. JAMES’ PARK AFTER OPENING DAY WIN OVER ASTON VILLA
Pep Guardiola made a post-game admission after his side’s 3-0 win at Burnley and was then left with plenty of food for thought as he settled down to watch Newcastle United demolish Aston Villa.
Whether a fixture that Newcastle fans once feared will come at the wrong time for Guardiola’s treble winners remains to be seen. Eddie Howe and his players haven’t exactly got delusions of grandeur after smashing Villa 5-1, but they have no reason not go to the Etihad Stadium feeling anything but confident.
Guardiola was far from happy on Friday night and said at Turf Moor: “We are still away from our best form but we have to try and we have to try to not drop points in this period with this amount of games.”
If Newcastle are at it, this is hardly a good time for City to be going in against Howe’s team. For once, there is less tension in the build-up to visiting the champions.
The former Barcelona boss is not putting on his concerns over City’s form for the cameras either. The Newcastle game will be City’s fourth competitive game in a short space of time after the Community Shield defeat, Turf Moor and the European Super Cup final in Greece against Seville. The last thing City will need is a fully rested up and rampant Newcastle team on Saturday night for next weekend’s late one.
Guardiola had also said last week: “We have to recover well and prepare well [for] the game against Burnley and then travel to Athens to play at 10pm, finish at 2, then come back on Friday and after – thank you! – play on Saturday against Newcastle at home. This is my plan – not winning or losing.”
Typically, Howe was eager to keep people’s feet on the ground in his post-game Press conference. But said on City: “There’s a long season ahead and we know we come back to earth quickly because we have Manchester City away next week and that’s going to be a huge challenge, so my mind is already turning to that.”