Pep Guardiola Issues Performance Warning as Man City Dismantle Ipswich 6-0

• Phil Foden scores twice as City cruise to victory at Portman Road.
• Reigning champions climb back into the Premier League’s top four.
• Guardiola eyes Champions League clash with PSG after dominant display.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has warned that his team is edging closer to rediscovering the form that has defined their dominance in English football over the past decade.

City delivered a scintillating performance at Portman Road, thrashing Ipswich Town 6-0. Goals from Phil Foden (2), Mateo Kovacic, Jeremy Doku, Erling Haaland, and James McAtee helped City climb back into the Premier League’s top four, having started the day in eighth.

Guardiola’s Take on the Performance

Speaking to Sky Sports after the game, Guardiola expressed his satisfaction with his team’s progress, though he acknowledged there is still room for improvement.

“We are really pleased; we are back to doing things that define this team for the last 10 years,” Guardiola said. “Really pleased for the three points and to climb into qualification for the Champions League for next season, that will be so tough.

“Much better. Maybe not our best but closer with the consistency we have in our game. Most of them didn’t happen in the previous games that we won.

“With the way we went without the ball, you cannot play in the short spaces. Everyone with the ball was clever, quicker, faster. Everyone is related. You cannot be quick, wise, and good if you are not connected defensively.”

Champions League Focus

Guardiola admitted that his focus shifted to the midweek Champions League clash with Paris Saint-Germain as the Ipswich game reached its latter stages. City need two positive results to secure qualification for the play-off round in this season’s revamped competition.

“After four or five nil, I had my eye on Paris,” he revealed. “We have to travel a long way. I want to say thank you so much to our fans.

“Again away, it’s not easy to come here, it’s a long trip, and I’m really pleased to perform in that way for them. They can go back and have some beer on the train and enjoy our moments together. Thank you so much.

“Whenever we go on these long trips, they join us. We will be back late and prepare for a final. We have two finals; winning two, we qualify. Winning one, there’s a big possibility. We have to get the points because we created problems ourselves, especially with Feyenoord.

“Even the game we lost in Lisbon. But in that moment, we had a lot of problems. We could not compete the way we want for many reasons. Hopefully, we can continue in Paris for the next game.”