Indonesia
Nigeria
South Africa

Manchester City

sportsmole.co.uk, 20 August 2021, 21:30
Pep Guardiola has spoken of his confidence that Jack Grealish and Manchester City will be good for each other.

Having joined from Aston Villa for £100million earlier this month, playmaker Grealish made his City bow by coming off the bench in the 1-0 Community Shield defeat to Leicester on August 7.

The England international then played the full duration last weekend as defending champions City opened their 2021-22 Premier League campaign with a 1-0 loss at Tottenham.

City boss Guardiola said at his pre-match press conference ahead of Saturday's home clash with Norwich: "Everyone needs time, not just Jack. Everyone in that period needs time to do it - of course for him a little bit more, because he is new, but everyone.

"The team is going to help Jack to be who he is, and he is going to help us to be the team we want to be. All together - alone, we cannot do it."

While Grealish has arrived, the major departure from the club this summer has been Sergio Aguero, now at Barcelona.

Guardiola, who prior to the Community Shield admitted City were interested in Tottenham's Harry Kane, stressed on Friday that he did "not know what's going to happen" with regard to the remainder of the transfer window.

He also said he thought Robert Lewandowski would be staying at Bayern Munich, and that he would be "more than happy" with his squad if the window was to close now.

And when asked about pundit suggestions following the Tottenham match that City would need to sign more players to improve, Guardiola said: "I don't have any doubts.

"What they (his players) have done so far, many, many years...the main group of the people is the same. I know their mentality, I know they want to do it, and tomorrow with our people, of course we want to do it.

"Football is unpredictable, and everything can happen, and the bad periods can happen again. So we will see.

"But I am more than optimistic (from) what they have done since they arrived, and step by step we will improve."

Guardiola also expressed his view that players "should consider" getting vaccinated against coronavirus.

Asked if all of his players had had Covid-19 vaccinations and if he was having to convince them to, Guardiola said: "Some of them. I'm not the right person to convince them.

"I think the doctors, the medical department can do it, so the players have to know that is (to) protect them, family and the rest of society. But no-one can obligate them to do it.

"I think the best way is explain to them the benefits or not benefits to being vaccinated or not, for themselves, for their families...and for the rest of the people working here and in the street. And after that, everyone is going to decide.

"But, when all the scientists, all the doctors, all the big specialists about medicine say the only solution to eradicate or help to move forward after this two years of pandemic situation is being vaccinated, I think they should consider it."

Kevin De Bruyne (ankle) is a doubt for Saturday's game but Ilkay Gundogan is available after a shoulder problem. Phil Foden continues his recovery from a foot injury.

Towards the end of the press conference, Guardiola spoke about the length of players' careers - and it led on to him talking about playing golf with Tommy Fleetwood.

After saying of footballers "I can be a manager until 80 years old, they cannot play until 80 years old", Guardiola was then asked if that was something he fancied doing.

And he said: "Absolutely not. I have to reduce my handicap! (It's) really poor. But I will get it down for sure.

"I have Tommy Fleetwood as a good teacher, so I will get better. (I play with him) once a year. His schedule is busier than me. When its possible, we play."

Top News

11 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Trent Alexander-Arnold scored a wonder goal as Liverpool secured safe passage into the fourth round of the FA Cup with a 4-0 win over a spirited Accrington Stanley side at Anfield. 11 January 2025 talksport.com Aston Villa are in advanced talks with Celta Vigo over a move for defender Oscar Mingueza, talkSPORT understands. 11 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester City have reportedly made quick progress over a deal to sign Eintracht Frankfurt forward Omar Marmoush. 11 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Everton are reportedly closing in on their first signing of the January transfer window and their first since the return of manager David Moyes. 11 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal cannot afford to take the FA Cup lightly amid their pursuits of Premier League and Champions League glory and should have enough in the tank to bring Manchester United's defence to a swift end this weekend. 11 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Brentford defender Aaron Hickey has revealed that he is closing in on a return to team training after it was announced that he had signed a new deal with the Premier League side. 11 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk National League hosts Premier League in an FA Cup mismatch on Sunday lunchtime, where Tamworth will endeavour to pull off a monumental giant killing at home to Tottenham Hotspur. 11 January 2025 talksport.com Rio Ngumoha will become the youngest player ever to start a competitive match for Liverpool. 11 January 2025 talksport.com Bad weather around the UK is wreaking havoc with the football schedule this weekend. 11 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Wolverhampton Wanderers have announced their starting lineup for Saturday's FA Cup third-round tie at Bristol City. 11 January 2025 talksport.com There are five months of the season left of a topsy-turvy league campaign where some players have stood out above others. 11 January 2025 talksport.com Neymar may have played just 42 minutes in the Saudi Pro League throughout 2024, but that didn't stop him taking home an eye-watering salary. 11 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Aston Villa have reportedly made an improved offer for Borussia Dortmund attacker Donyell Malen. 11 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Aston Villa have reportedly made a fresh approach in their effort to sign Borussia Dortmund attacker Donyell Malen. 11 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Como head coach Cesc Fabregas is reportedly keen to bring Manchester United defender Tyrell Malacia to the club, with contact believed to have been made to determine how much the Netherlands international would cost. 11 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk West Ham United head coach Graham Potter is reportedly ready to target two players at former club Chelsea. 11 January 2025 talksport.com Everton have confirmed the reappointment of David Moyes following the sacking of Sean Dyche. 11 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Everton have confirmed the return of David Moyes as head coach, with the Scot becoming Sean Dyche's replacement at Goodison Park. 11 January 2025 talksport.com Arsenal's quest for a first Premier League title since 2004 is not over yet - but they need luck and fresh additions to get them back on track. 11 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk West Ham United head coach Graham Potter has said that the Hammers are in the market for a new forward amid suggestions that Manchester United's Marcus Rashford could make the move to the London Stadium. 11 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Having started to slip down the Serie A standings, Fiorentina will try to get back on track by beating rock-bottom Monza when the two teams meet on Monday. 11 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk The transfer window is open! Clubs around the UK and Europe have one final chance to strengthen their squads for the second half of the season. 11 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Kayserispor vs. Samsunspor (Saturday, 10.30am) Kayserispor will continue their quest to climb out of the bottom four when they host high-flying Samsunspor in round 19 of the Turkish Super Lig on Saturday. 11 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Heracles vs. Sparta (Saturday, 3.30pm) Matchday 18 of the 2024-25 Eredivisie season sees Heracles and Sparta Rotterdam go head-to-head at the Erve Asito on Saturday afternoon in a crunch relegation six-pointer. 11 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Brest vs. Lyon (Saturday, 4.00pm) Seeking their first victory of 2025, Brest continue their Ligue 1 campaign on Saturday when they welcome Lyon to Stade Francis-Le Ble. 11 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Freiburg vs. Holstein Kiel (Saturday, 2.30pm) Freiburg will be looking to get 2025 in the Bundesliga off to a winning start when they play host to a struggling Holstein Kiel at Europa-Park Stadion on Saturday afternoon. 11 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Empoli vs. Lecce (Saturday, 2.00pm) After going winless in their last four outings, Empoli will fancy their chances of snapping that streak when they host Lecce at Stadio Carlo Castellani for round 20 of Serie A. 11 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Alaves vs. Girona (Saturday, 1.00pm) Girona will be bidding to make it successive victories in Spain's top flight when they head to Alaves on Saturday afternoon. 11 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Should Liverpool be beaten by Accrington Stanley in the FA Cup on Saturday afternoon, it would be one of the biggest upsets in the club's history, Reds expert David Lynch has claimed. 11 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Bristol City vs. Wolves (Saturday, 12.00pm) Wolverhampton Wanderers will put their Premier League survival bid to one side when they travel to Ashton Gate to face Championship side Bristol City in the third round of the FA Cup on Saturday lunchtime.