Pep Guardiola warns Manchester City players they “will be trembling” against one Premier League club

Manchester City’s players “will be trembling” when they come up against one Premier League club this season, Pep Guardiola has stressed.

The four-time successive Premier League champions have started their latest title defence in exemplary fashion, recording two statement victories in their opening two matches this season, including a challenging away trip to Chelsea.

An Erling Haaland effort and Mateo Kovacic strike were enough to put Enzo Maresca’s side to the sword at Stamford Bridge, with the Norwegian following up with a hat-trick to his name against newcomers Ipswich Town last Saturday.

While there is no doubt that Manchester City have plenty more challenges ahead of them this season across all competitions, manager Pep Guardiola has earmarked one opponent in particular as a notably difficult prospect.

Speaking exclusively to Men in Blazers prior to Manchester City’s opening Premier League home game, the Etihad Stadium head coach was asked to anticipate his side’s biggest challengers for the top-four and the title itself.

“Arsenal, 10 to 10, for sure,” Guardiola said without hesitation. “Liverpool, we’ll see the transition from Jurgen (Klopp) always is not easy, but the pre-season from Arne Slot has been amazing.

“And the other teams you have to see. If you ask me now, it’s Arsenal, Tottenham will be there for the way they play.”

Pep Guardiola was also keen to point out that one team in particular will leave his Manchester City squad “trembling” when they face them, as he continued, “Newcastle will be back because it’s one game a week.

“They don’t have European competition and the energy that they play with, the physicality, with just one game a week, we will be trembling, we will be trembling when we play against them.”

On the rest of Manchester City’s competitors, the 53-year-old said, “And of course, (Manchester) United with a lot of signings they have done, Chelsea with a lot of signings they have done. All the teams.

“Aston Villa we will see how they handle playing in the Champions League and Premier League, but six, seven, eight teams will be there, it will be difficult to make the top-four again,” he told Men in Blazers.

Manchester City were consistently linked with transfer business involving Newcastle United this summer, viewing the talents of midfield star Bruno Guimaraes as worthy of significant investment from the club.

However, having rejected the chance to sign the 26-year-old for a £100 million release clause valuation, City were left with the challenge of tempting the St James’ Park club into a negotiation, valuing the player themselves at around £85 million.

Nevertheless, City’s patience in the summer market has paid dividends, moving swiftly to snap up the opportunity to re-sign former club captain Ilkay Gundogan from FC Barcelona on a free transfer last week.