Pep Guardiola said on Friday that an inconsistent Manchester City have little room for error in the Premier League title race, despite a reputation for strong late-season finishes that has delivered six titles during his near-decade at the club.
City have 61 points from 30 matches and trail leaders Arsenal by nine points, although they hold a game in hand.
The title challengers now face a demanding stretch of fixtures, beginning with Sunday’s trip to Chelsea, followed by a home clash against Arsenal on April 19.
“Hopefully we can get a lot of points,” Guardiola told reporters when asked about his side’s usual late-season surge.
“In the situation we are in the Premier League, we need to win all of them, otherwise it will not give us the chance to try until the end.
“We have not been consistent enough this season. We have dropped points that we should have taken, which is why we are now in the position where we cannot do anything differently.”
City’s challenge is complicated by injuries, with centre back Ruben Dias still recovering from a muscle problem and not ready for the Stamford Bridge trip.
Fellow defender Josko Gvardiol is also unavailable, having been sidelined since January with a tibial fracture to his right leg, and is not yet close to a return.
Guardiola was also asked about midfielder Bernardo Silva after assistant manager Pep Lijnders hinted on Sunday that the Portuguese international’s nine-year stay at the club could end this summer.
Silva, 31, has won six Premier League titles and the Champions League since joining City in 2017 from AS Monaco, but his contract expires at the end of the season.
Guardiola said he did not know whether Silva would leave but made clear his desire to keep him at the club.
“He is not the tallest one, the most muscular one, or the guy who scores 50 goals or makes 50 assists a season,” Guardiola said. “These are the types of players that get the spotlight. But after nine years, I know him quite well and I know what a manager requires.
“All managers love him because he is incredibly competitive and has a fire inside him. In the toughest moments and on the biggest stages, he is always there.
“He has been an incredible signing for us. I love this club and I would love for him to stay and finish his career here, but I do not know. He will decide what he will decide. It is his decision.”
