Embargoed Section: Pep Guardiola’s pre-Leeds press conference part two

It’s time for part two of Pep Guardiola’s pre-Leeds United discussion with the media on Friday afternoon.

Manchester City take on their final Premier League contest before the first-leg of their Champions League semi-final double-header against Real Madrid, with so much at stake in the English top-flight.

City have the opportunity to move four points clear at the top of the Premier League table with a win this weekend, as Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal side don’t play their weekend fixture until Sunday afternoon, when they travel to St James Park to take on Newcastle.

In part two of Pep Guardiola’s pre-Leeds press conference, the Manchester City boss discussed the future of Kalvin Phillips, Rico Lewis’ season-changing impact on the squad, and the psychological impact of the season run-in.

Here is every word from the embargoed section of Pep Guardiola’s pre-Leeds press conference at the City Football Academy!

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On whether Kalvin Phillips realistically has a long-term future at City

“Right now absolutely we are not thinking for one second about next season. Kalvin has been, in many things, important in his role; of course, not on the pitch much because what we need in some things he needs to adapt a little bit more.

“But what happens in the next season, I’m sorry but I’m not concerned for one second. It’s important and nice what we’re living for, and we will see at the end of the season, we will sit with the players, mainly all of them. The players, maybe they want more minutes, or maybe they are not happy with the situation that they had in the past and now in the present.

“But right now I am not going to discuss absolutely anything because everyone will be important with still a lot of games to play, and every day is becoming more tired, and more tired, so that’s why you have to be aware how important is the decision you are going to make. Be clear to not drop the consistency much of the team that we’ve shown in the last months, but we have to rotate.”

On what things Kalvin Phillips needs to adapt into

“I’m not comparing (Rodri) to Kalvin because when you don’t play much it’s difficult to take that rhythm. John (Stones) is seven years together, Rodri is five or six years together; so they know exactly, I don’t have to tell (them) anything, just little details, the movement here and there.

“Kalvin maybe played in the past more, more minutes he will get that, but in that situation Rodri was in exceptional form and the role is so important and that’s why the lack of minutes makes the circle a little bit more difficult. But he’s always paying attention, in training sessions he’s open-minded to get it.

“But being so behind Arsenal we could not drop points when you have a situation up front, 10 or eight points, in the past it happened, so you can do it. But in that moment always I have the feeling, ‘Oh Rodri knows exactly what he has to do in this role’. And you continue to do this kind of opportunities with the players that know exactly what they have to do.”

On how many times he has spoke to Alfie Haaland about Erling’s career

“I think once or twice. I don’t talk normally with the mums and dads. No, I don’t talk. When I see him maybe in the stadium, I will say, ‘Hi how is everything so far?’ But we spoke in the past maybe two or three times. No more than that.”

On whether meeting Leeds is something special for Erling Haaland

“I didn’t speak with Erling about that. I will go right now, (to ask) if it’s special. We will see.”

On whether he is telling players that every game is a final, and if that is a useful way to approach games psychologically

“It’s not time to keep something in the fridge. You have to give everything, it’s so close… not close just in the Premier League, so close to finishing the season, especially in the Premier League of course.

“Still we have one game in hand and important and tough games for everything. Yesterday we saw Brighton (against Manchester United), we have to go there, our game in hand. I’m really impressed again how they play against a tough opponent in United. Many tough games for everyone.

“The games at home, we have just two; Leeds and Chelsea. We need our people, please, tomorrow, come everyone at 3PM. You don’t have anything better to do… of course, there’s important things in this country, but anyway, they don’t have anything more, so come and help us because we need it.”

On psychological challenges for the players at this stage

“Psychologically they are more than prepared, they are incredibly excited, like we are, like everyone here in the club. For the position we have, to win the Premier League, to be again at the end, to be Champions.

“This is what we want, we fought a lot, and once we are there we have to try to do it. And the energy just right in the moment, not yesterday, not today, relax, regeneration, sleep, sleep, eat, rest, drink and all energy for tomorrow at 3PM.”

On whether it’s in his mind for Erling Haaland to get to Dixie Dean’s record

“No it’s not on my mind, maybe it’s in his mind, but not my mind. My mind is to beat Leeds, and after go to Madrid (for the) Champions League, in between Goodison Park – this is my… I never talk, we never talk with Erling about the goals he has to score. If he can score 13 goals (to break the record), he’s allowed to do it. But I think it’s not going to happen, honestly. But who knows.”

On how tired the players are

“No because it’s three days in Madrid, after you travel it’s three days. After we have five (days), because we don’t play Saturday we play Sunday before Madrid in the second-leg. So five days is different, but if it’s three it’s so demanding. But it’s normal. Yesterday, what we felt is normal. I’m pretty sure today we’ll feel better, I’m pretty sure. And tomorrow hopefully tomorrow at 3PM, hopefully we’ll be better.

“But it’s normal. The fact that we are winning games, and winning games, and winning games, that helps a lot to regenerate. Maybe it’s better than sleep, eat, and drink, it’s better to win games. That is the best regeneration for the next one.”

On whether the four-point lead before Newcastle vs Arsenal would be psychologically important

“I don’t know because I don’t speak with Mikel (Arteta) and the Arsenal players. But of course, for the fact we’re winning games, still another one, 10 games in a row, if tomorrow we win, we go four points ahead but Newcastle everything can happen. Of course, Newcastle winning the game they’re already qualified for the Champions League, mathematically.

“It’s an incredible achievement for Newcastle because we have to be honest, nobody expected them to do the season they have done to next season play in the Champions League. It’s not easy there (St James Park), we felt it in the beginning of the season, the performance they have done there has been good. But Arsenal have weapons, strength, and everything to happen the same. Having the destiny in our hands, just thinking about Leeds, this is the best way.”

On whether City are not ‘happy flowers’ but now the ‘ruthless roses’

“(Laughs) Is this the name of your next book? (Would you like to do a forward for it?) I will buy it.”

On being happy with the way the team have responded since Spurs

“It will be so nice if the reason why one sentence in one press conference made this impact in the team. I would be a real genius for that. I don’t think that was the reason why. I put on the map, I saw the game against Spurs, like in the first-half they were a thousand miles more aggressive, they were more aggressive to one young man of 18 years-old in Rico Lewis and nobody defend (him), and everyone was good.

“That was the sense I had, but I don’t think the reason why we were there. I had more the feeling that, ‘Oh still we can do it, we are close to Arsenal, they drop few points, and oh come on let’s go!’ The feeling that every game is a final for us and this time proved in the past that when we play with that feeling, they come up the best of ourselves.”

On whether he’d have said about happy flowers if City lost vs Spurs (H)

“Maybe not. Because normally in arguments as a loser of a game, it looks like an excuse. It’s not an argument, it’s just an excuse. Normally you have to more expose or drill what really happened when you are winning games or in a good period. But in both sides internally, the message would have been the same, that’s for sure. But externally, I don’t think so.”

On whether there is a timeframe for when players have to make staff know and him that they’re going to make it at City

“Yeah… We try, I try, we did it, I did it, especially me because I’m the manager for the reasons why, he didn’t have the minutes that we expected. The reason why is a question of tactics, movements, whatever. Sometimes when it’s these types of cases you have to explain, sometimes it’s not necessary to tell them because for a long time we are here, it’s not necessary. But with him, he deserved it, the reasons why.”

On whether he has confidence that this time next year Kalvin Phillips will be starting ‘massive games‘

“Maybe Jack didn’t play a lot of important games last season but played a lot of minutes. Of course, it depends on the players. At the end we are here, all of your ask me questions, I try to be honest to answer these ones with my feelings, and my feelings sometimes change but at the end it belongs to the players, what they show.

“They have to convince himself, and the team, not because I say something that it is going to happen. They have to earn my confidence in them, all of them. Not Kalvin, absolutely not, all of them. How? How they perform. There are teams during the season that change a lot, and players from the previous season were incredibly important, and this season are less important. It’s how they perform, how they compete with the others ones.

“Many things good happen this season, and the team realise how they have to play, it’s thanks to Rico Lewis. Rico helps us to understand what you have to do to play better and better, and in the last 10 games he didn’t play much. Without Rico this season? Hmm. It would have been more difficult, the step that we made as a team – that I’m pretty convinced.

“Rico, with that movement he does, he makes fluid many things in the team. After that, Kyle (Walker) realised it, and John (Stones) playing that position, by watching him. Because in that position he’s exceptional. But the other players have a lot of things that Rico doesn’t have; experience, and many, many things, composure during the game. But this is what they team grows in many cases.”

On exceptional home form and whether anything has changed

“Our vibe. We feel comfortable in the vibe of our fans. I think they are more active than they were in previous seasons, they are there and help us, and we need (them) more, and more, and more every game, in the last two (home) games that we have. I have that feeling.”