Pep Guardiola makes honest admission after Man City end wait for away win

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola admitted that relegation-threatened Leicester City were better than his defending champions during a 2-0 victory at the King Power Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

Guardiola’s side faced what Opta define as three ‘big chances’, all of which Leicester missed on a particularly wasteful afternoon for the promoted hosts. Savinho – who had been the Premier League’s most wasteful finisher with 27 unsuccessful efforts heading into the weekend – opened the scoring for City before Erling Haaland sealed three much-needed points with a second-half header.

Speaking to Sky Sports in the immediate aftermath of City’s first away win since October, Guardiola wasn’t entirely impressed. “Our mood is in a better position,” the Catalan coach admitted. “It was tight in the second half, they were much better. We don’t have energy to sustain 90 minutes. Hopefully the New Year can help us bounce back.

“To get results you have to do something. To do it in the position we have, many good things happened today. It is not enjoyable right now it is just relief. We have done incredible things for many years. It is not the best.”

Victory for City – which is just their second in any competition across the last 14 matches – lifted the Sky Blues into fifth place.

It wasn’t all doom and gloom for Guardiola, who took time to laud the impact of Savinho. The summer recruit teed up Haaland’s second after nabbing the game’s opening goal. “He has incredible ability and quality,” City’s boss said of the Brazilian.

“The team is not in the best moment but he tries until the end. He is so aggressive on both sides. The moment you score one or two, you will score a lot. I am really pleased for him. He played on the left and he can make those crosses. It was very good.”