Pep Guardiola sends FA Cup and Champions League warning to Man City players

Pep Guardiola says his Manchester City side must improve and take their chances if they want to win the FA Cup and Champions League. City fell to a 1-0 defeat to Southampton- their ninth of the season in the Premier League. The frustrating loss came days after beating new champions Liverpool 4-0 at the Etihad, with Guardiola warning his side that they must be more consistent in both boxes. Speaking ahead of the Premier League visit of Newcastle, Guardiola was asked to reflect on the differences between the performances against Liverpool and Southampton. "We played really good in terms of what we wanted to do, the commitment with the players is still after two or three successful seasons unbelievable," Guardiola said. "But we are in the point that sometimes we make a mistake that we have to avoid in some games and are punished as a team. In the semi-final against Arsenal and Madrid this is the reality. We can play the way we played, I don’t have doubts this is going to happen and if we are consistent in both boxes, we have a big chance or opportunity to go through, "But if what happened against Southampton and other games this season like Tottenham home and away or Norwich away, where we dropped points, we will be out and Arsenal and Madrid will go through. That is the reality we have to accept. "We can be lucky to convert what we produce and defend the less we concede but I don’t have any doubts that the team will be there to compete like we have done all season. That is my feeling today." However, Guardiola insisted that his side will go into their remaining league games with the right attitude, with Champions League qualification still to be secured. He explained: "We need four more points [for the Champions League qualification]. I was worried after we beat Arsenal and Burnley how our approach would be but the effort was incredible even in the games that we lost. That has made me confident that we will not relax in the final Premier League games." Source: MEN

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