Despite a recent three-match winless streak, Pep Guardiola remains bullish about Manchester City's chances of securing a historic fourth consecutive Premier League title.
The defending champions have drawn their last three league games against strong opponents like Chelsea, Liverpool, and Tottenham, currently trailing leaders Arsenal by three points.
While Guardiola acknowledged the need for defensive improvement, with City conceding eight goals in the past three matches, he expressed confidence in his team's ability to secure the title. The City boss emphasized the motivation to outperform opponents and stated that they need to do better defensively to achieve their goal.
Guardiola is determined to address defensive vulnerabilities but remains optimistic, stating in a pre-match press conference, "My feeling today is we will win the Premier League." Despite skepticism following the recent draws, Guardiola believes that City can replicate their success if they perform at the level of top competitors like Liverpool and Tottenham.
City will face Aston Villa without suspended midfielder Rodri, who played a crucial role in their previous defeats this season when suspended. Guardiola mentioned that John Stones, returning from injury, could potentially fill Rodri's void in midfield.
Addressing the Football Association's charge against the club for players' behavior during the 3-3 draw with Tottenham, Guardiola defended his team's conduct. Despite uncertainties about how the club would react to the charge, Guardiola highlighted the team's overall positive behavior throughout the season, emphasizing the importance of accepting decisions, both favorable and unfavorable.
In response to the charged atmosphere during the Tottenham game, Guardiola stated, "The comments from my players (were) about accepting that we can do better -- and me first. It's what I want to see of my club, of my team. After that, we will accept all the decisions of the Premier League or whatever."
