Every Word: Pep Guardiola’s pre-Everton press conference

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has addressed the media ahead of his side’s latest Premier League challenge: A visit to relegation-threatened Everton.

City will look to build on what is rapidly becoming a hugely successful season, and maintain their spot as the Premier League leaders for another game-week by defeating Sean Dyche’s side on Merseyside.

Last time out, Pep Guardiola’s side secured a positive result in the UEFA Champions League semi-final first-leg, as a second-half wonder-strike from Kevin De Bruyne ensured that the tie with Real Madrid will be finely poised at 1-1 heading into next week’s part two.

City still retain hopes of registering one of the most successful seasons in English football history, as their chances of winning a Premier League and Champions League double remain very much alive and are complimented by the possibility of a treble through the FA Cup.

The fitness of Nathan Ake, fixture scheduling, and the challenge that awaits on Merseyside this weekend were among the talking points raised during Pep Guardiola’s address to the media on Friday afternoon.

Here is every word from the boss at the City Football Academy!

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On Erling Haaland winning the FWA Footballer of the Year award

“I think it’s well deserved. Congratulations to him of course.” 

On Erling Haaland’s start to life in England

“I don’t know (if I’m surprised). Sometimes players click quicker and he did it quicker.” 

On the difficulty of facing Everton this weekend

“Because we’ve got two Champions League games (either side of the game). Since I’ve been here, it’s always been so difficult, because of the environment, they’re a front-foot team. The end of the season is really final, so our focus is on this game. My thought is just Everton. No more than that. It’s been 11 months working for the Premier League.

“We don’t have much time from Madrid because we play on Sunday, thank you so much. But it’s a real, real priority Goodison Park. We play for all competitions. We have to switch. Adapt. Four games left in the Premier League and it’s important to us to be there, to keep what we play for in our hands. We train tomorrow and we have to prepare as well as possible. 

“There was big results in the Premier League but we thought in the last games everyone plays for something and it will be tough. It can happen. They (Everton) scored the first goal (vs Brighton) in the first minute, a surprise for the two early goals, the physicality Everton have is really, really good. Anything can happen.”

On the fitness of Nathan Ake

“I think he’s much better, but I don’t know. We have training in a few hours and we will see.” 

On the Premier League schedule

“I can’t understand it, but I’m not going to fight it anymore.

“I don’t understand it, but we have to adapt. The schedule, it is what it is. It’s not frustrating, it is what it is. How many times can I comment on that?

“I’m sure the Premier League want to help teams, they don’t want to make us uncomfortable, the problem is the schedule, this amount of competitions, this amount of games. I think we cannot play on Saturday because there is Eurovision and we do not have enough bodies or the capability to handle so many people (in Liverpool).” 

On his Manchester City team selection

“Every player is ready. Every player is ready to play and give his own contribution. I thought a lot about the last minutes to do a substitute (in Madrid), but I thought about the players on the bench are so dynamic, Phil (Foden, Julian (Alvarez), Riyad (Mahrez). But in that moment we didn’t need that. We need to increase our rhythm to increase the moments to everyone else to a high level. Everyone will be important with so many games.”

On the Manchester City squad as a whole

“We’ll see. We have five days now, after just four days. We will see the team tomorrow, speak with the physios and staff and decide. A lot of games to choose, not to choose. Maybe people don’t believe me, but I rely on all of them a lot but there are players in certain moments that are so important to us.

“People ask me before Leeds if they are tired and the game after was so demanding. When you play so many competitions, it’s normal. When you play just one, it’s different, but now it is what it is.

“Definitely (they want to play all matches), but not just now all the season. They want to play in September, they don’t like me when they don’t play. We are sure going to play until June 3, you have to deserve to win a game to play for one more week. We have potential six games, potential seven, it’s not too much, go for it!” 

“I think to win helps to be better. You win, the mental recovery is better. Always I believe the human body has incredible resources to go forward. When you think you’re exhausted and can’t go on any more, you can.

“When you lose competitions, yeah you go and you have to refresh. You can be tired, that’s normal but at the same time if your desire, mental (state) is in the right position you can have incredible energy.”

On Arsenal

“I think definitely they are going to win their three games. I would like them to drop points to be honest, but I think they will get nine points.”