Pep Guardiola has urged Manchester City fans to bring the noise and treat their remaining five Premier League games as cup finals.
Guardiola’s side sit fourth having recovered from an awful end to 2024, but they still have work to do in the fight for a Champions League spot, with five teams separated by just two points.
One of those teams are Tuesday’s opponents Aston Villa, who they face live on Sky Sports.
Asked if the game against Villa was like a cup final, Guardiola said: “Absolutely. And after Aston Villa the game against Wolves will be a final, then Southampton because every game counts.
“But Villa are a contender to qualify for the Champions League and when you see the game they played against my friend Luis Enrique and PSG I was really impressed.
Highlights from the Premier League clash between Everton and Manchester City
“They can play a low block but when they decide to go, with the weapons they have, the speed they have, the set-pieces, it’s a final and we need our people because I think our people want the Champions League again next season and hopefully they can wait from minute one.
“Sometimes we are slow, sometimes we are not playing good, but we need them desperately to support us, to make noise and being there all the time because it’s a final. Absolutely it is a final for us.”
Pep Guardiola goads Man City fans at the Etihad after Omar Marmoush’s equaliser against Crystal Palace
Emery: Everyone focused on Man City task
FREE TO WATCH: Highlights from Aston Villa’s match against Newcastle United in the Premier League
For his part, Aston Villa boss Unai Emery says everyone at the club is focused on facing Man City, who he says he has ‘massive’ respect for.
Emery said: “We can’t stop. We are involved in our key moment in the season and through the Premier League we are trying to get our first objective in 38 matches playing and tomorrow is the 34th.
Tuesday 22nd April 7:00pm
Kick off 8:00pm
“Man City, one of the teams contending to be in the top four or five, even to win the title but this year is for them a little bit more difficult, but my respect for them is massive like always and we are ready.
“Every player and every worker here in Aston Villa is so, so focused in the moment we are and tomorrow we’ll prepare the match as best as possible with the players that will be available for tomorrow.”
What’s the state of play in the race for the Champions League?
The race for the top five is tight, as only two points separate Newcastle in third and Aston Villa in seventh, with five more game weeks left.
Newcastle remain in third despite their harrowing 4-1 defeat at Aston Villa, but Nottingham Forest could climb above them if they can win their game in hand at struggling Tottenham on Monday Night Football – live on Sky Sports.
Man City leapfrogged Forest into fourth after their 2-0 win at Everton and closed the gap on third-placed Newcastle to one point.
Chelsea also went above Forest and into fifth following their dramatic 2-1 win at Fulham.
Chelsea, Forest and seventh-placed Villa are all locked on 57 points, separated only by goal difference.
This news was originally published on this post .
About the author
Giannis Antetokounmpo declines to address Bucks future after another first-round playoff exit: ‘I wish I was still playing’
The Milwaukee Bucks' season is over, but the questions are just beginning. With rumors swirling about Giannis Antetokounmpo's future in Milwaukee, the Bucks' superstar declined to address the situation following the team's loss to the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday.Antetokounmpo, who stated multiple times he wants to play for a perennial championship contender, was asked whether that's possible with the Bucks. He didn't want to engage with the question.Antetokounmpo initially said he didn't want to get into it, knowing whatever he said would make headlines Wednesday. He then said, "I don't know, man. I wish I was still playing."AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementTuesday's 119-118 loss eliminated the Bucks from the postseason, giving the team its third straight first-round exit in the playoffs. While the Bucks were the lower seed this time around, the team lost in the first round despite earning the No. 1 seed […]
Jamal Murray’s breakout game changes calculus for Nuggets: ‘He was born for this’
DENVER — The beauty of Jamal Murray has always been his ability to stay even-keeled and confident. And perhaps we should have all seen those traits coming.He was pushed relentlessly as a kid when he was coached by his father, Roger. Murray used to practice game-winning shots in his driveway. And he has been put in pressure situations at each level of basketball and has consistently delivered.AdvertisementMurray’s ascension into an elite playoff riser for the Denver Nuggets is borne from making big shots and plays for as long as he can remember. Murray has never been scared. He has always had a short memory, never allowed failure to deter him and has always been able to move on to the next play or game.In this first-round series against the LA Clippers, he’s had his issues, particularly against the overbearing defense […]
Play off hokejové extraligy navštívilo nejvíce fanoušků v historii
Nejvyšší návštěvou v letošních bojích o titul bylo 17 220 diváků na třech zápasech Sparty - v pátém čtvrtfinále s Třincem a v prvním i druhém semifinále s Kometou Brno. Byl to vyrovnaný rekord na play off ze tří duelů Sparty s Třincem ve finále v roce 2022 (ze 3., 4. a 6. duelu) a také vyrovnaní maxima v hale v samostatné české extralize. Tolik lidí přišlo i na zápas Sparty s Kladnem 13. listopadu 2019 v 10. kole základní části.Více bylo jen na třech utkáních pod širým nebem. Rekordem je 32 009 diváků v Drážďanech na fotbalovém stadionu Rudolfa Harbiga ze 4. ledna 2020, kdy se tam utkal Litvínov se Spartou. Následuje 21 500 fanoušků na bývalém fotbalovém stadionu za Lužánkami v Brně z 8. ledna z duelu Komety se Spartou. O tři dny dříve tam na souboj Komety s Plzní přišlo 18 514 příznivců.Sparta vytvořila nový rekord s průměrem na domácí duely 17 170 diváků. Jejích sedm utkání v O2 areně navštívilo 120 190 fanoušků. Maximem bylo loni jejích 13 743 příznivců (82 458 na šesti duelech). Vyprodaných bylo v letošním play off rekordních 36 utkání. Předešlým maximem bylo […]
Li Tie: Ex-coach of Chinese national soccer team has 20-year corruption sentence upheld after appeal
Li Tie, the former head coach of the Chinese men’s national soccer team who played for Everton in the Premier League, has lost an appeal against his 20-year prison sentence for offering and accepting bribes.The 47-year-old saw his appeal rejected by the Hubei Provincial Higher People’s Court on Wednesday, Chinese state news agency Xinhua reported.AdvertisementLi was originally sentenced on December 13, 2024, by the Intermediate People’s Court of Xianning, Hubei Province.The former midfielder played 92 games for the Chinese national side and featured at the 2002 World Cup, before coaching the team for 12 games between 2019 and 2021. He was placed under investigation for “serious violation of laws” relating to corruption and, in March 2024, he made a televised confession as part of a match-fixing probe.Before taking charge of the Chinese national team, Li was head coach of Hebei […]
2025 NFL Draft: Every division’s draft winner
The Panthers come out on top in a loaded NFC South: Carolina added substantive playmakers on both sides of the ball to improve their young core. The Titans did more than just use the No. 1 pick: Tennessee selected playmakers to help its defensive line, secondary and receiving corps. Final chance to claim 25% off PFF+: Use code DRAFT25 and unlock access to player grades, fantasy tools and the 2025 Draft Guide. Estimated Reading Time: 9 minutes After months of preparation and analysis, the 2025 NFL Draft is in the books. Given the magnitude of the event in shaping each team’s roster for the coming season and beyond, it’s a perfect time to reflect on how every squad performed over the seven-round spectacle. Preliminary NFL draft grades may not be as all-encompassing as those allotted two or three years down […]
Buccaneers make surprising decision that could affect Shilo Sanders’ future
The 2025 NFL Draft was a milestone moment for Deion Sanders' family, as both of his sons officially began their NFL journeys. While quarterback Shedeur Sanders was selected 144th overall by the Cleveland Browns, his older brother, Shilo Sanders, took a different route, signing with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent.Shedeur Sanders arrives at Browns facility in casual fitDespite not hearing his name called during the seven-round draft, Shilo's path to the NFL is far from over. In fact, the former Colorado Buffaloes safety may just have a real shot at making the Buccaneers' 53-man roster this fall.Tampa Bay head coach Todd Bowles and his staff have already started reshuffling the team's offseason roster. On Tuesday, the Bucs released wide receiver Marquez Callaway and waived three other players - cornerback Dallis Flowers, outside linebacker Daniel Grzesiak, and […]
Related
Giannis Antetokounmpo declines to address Bucks future after another first-round playoff exit: ‘I wish I was still playing’
The Milwaukee Bucks' season is over, but the questions are just beginning. With rumors swirling about Giannis Antetokounmpo's future in Milwaukee, the Bucks' superstar declined to address the situation following the team's loss to the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday.Antetokounmpo, who stated multiple times he wants to play for a perennial championship contender, was asked whether that's possible with the Bucks. He didn't want to engage with the question.Antetokounmpo initially said he didn't want to get into it, knowing whatever he said would make headlines Wednesday. He then said, "I don't know, man. I wish I was still playing."AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementTuesday's 119-118 loss eliminated the Bucks from the postseason, giving the team its third straight first-round exit in the playoffs. While the Bucks were the lower seed this time around, the team lost in the first round despite earning the No. 1 seed […]
Jamal Murray’s breakout game changes calculus for Nuggets: ‘He was born for this’
DENVER — The beauty of Jamal Murray has always been his ability to stay even-keeled and confident. And perhaps we should have all seen those traits coming.He was pushed relentlessly as a kid when he was coached by his father, Roger. Murray used to practice game-winning shots in his driveway. And he has been put in pressure situations at each level of basketball and has consistently delivered.AdvertisementMurray’s ascension into an elite playoff riser for the Denver Nuggets is borne from making big shots and plays for as long as he can remember. Murray has never been scared. He has always had a short memory, never allowed failure to deter him and has always been able to move on to the next play or game.In this first-round series against the LA Clippers, he’s had his issues, particularly against the overbearing defense […]
Play off hokejové extraligy navštívilo nejvíce fanoušků v historii
Nejvyšší návštěvou v letošních bojích o titul bylo 17 220 diváků na třech zápasech Sparty - v pátém čtvrtfinále s Třincem a v prvním i druhém semifinále s Kometou Brno. Byl to vyrovnaný rekord na play off ze tří duelů Sparty s Třincem ve finále v roce 2022 (ze 3., 4. a 6. duelu) a také vyrovnaní maxima v hale v samostatné české extralize. Tolik lidí přišlo i na zápas Sparty s Kladnem 13. listopadu 2019 v 10. kole základní části.Více bylo jen na třech utkáních pod širým nebem. Rekordem je 32 009 diváků v Drážďanech na fotbalovém stadionu Rudolfa Harbiga ze 4. ledna 2020, kdy se tam utkal Litvínov se Spartou. Následuje 21 500 fanoušků na bývalém fotbalovém stadionu za Lužánkami v Brně z 8. ledna z duelu Komety se Spartou. O tři dny dříve tam na souboj Komety s Plzní přišlo 18 514 příznivců.Sparta vytvořila nový rekord s průměrem na domácí duely 17 170 diváků. Jejích sedm utkání v O2 areně navštívilo 120 190 fanoušků. Maximem bylo loni jejích 13 743 příznivců (82 458 na šesti duelech). Vyprodaných bylo v letošním play off rekordních 36 utkání. Předešlým maximem bylo […]
Li Tie: Ex-coach of Chinese national soccer team has 20-year corruption sentence upheld after appeal
Li Tie, the former head coach of the Chinese men’s national soccer team who played for Everton in the Premier League, has lost an appeal against his 20-year prison sentence for offering and accepting bribes.The 47-year-old saw his appeal rejected by the Hubei Provincial Higher People’s Court on Wednesday, Chinese state news agency Xinhua reported.AdvertisementLi was originally sentenced on December 13, 2024, by the Intermediate People’s Court of Xianning, Hubei Province.The former midfielder played 92 games for the Chinese national side and featured at the 2002 World Cup, before coaching the team for 12 games between 2019 and 2021. He was placed under investigation for “serious violation of laws” relating to corruption and, in March 2024, he made a televised confession as part of a match-fixing probe.Before taking charge of the Chinese national team, Li was head coach of Hebei […]
2025 NFL Draft: Every division’s draft winner
The Panthers come out on top in a loaded NFC South: Carolina added substantive playmakers on both sides of the ball to improve their young core. The Titans did more than just use the No. 1 pick: Tennessee selected playmakers to help its defensive line, secondary and receiving corps. Final chance to claim 25% off PFF+: Use code DRAFT25 and unlock access to player grades, fantasy tools and the 2025 Draft Guide. Estimated Reading Time: 9 minutes After months of preparation and analysis, the 2025 NFL Draft is in the books. Given the magnitude of the event in shaping each team’s roster for the coming season and beyond, it’s a perfect time to reflect on how every squad performed over the seven-round spectacle. Preliminary NFL draft grades may not be as all-encompassing as those allotted two or three years down […]
Buccaneers make surprising decision that could affect Shilo Sanders’ future
The 2025 NFL Draft was a milestone moment for Deion Sanders' family, as both of his sons officially began their NFL journeys. While quarterback Shedeur Sanders was selected 144th overall by the Cleveland Browns, his older brother, Shilo Sanders, took a different route, signing with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent.Shedeur Sanders arrives at Browns facility in casual fitDespite not hearing his name called during the seven-round draft, Shilo's path to the NFL is far from over. In fact, the former Colorado Buffaloes safety may just have a real shot at making the Buccaneers' 53-man roster this fall.Tampa Bay head coach Todd Bowles and his staff have already started reshuffling the team's offseason roster. On Tuesday, the Bucs released wide receiver Marquez Callaway and waived three other players - cornerback Dallis Flowers, outside linebacker Daniel Grzesiak, and […]
Be the first to leave a comment