Guardiola: Manchester City has to be almost perfect to make the Champions League | Pep Guardiola

Pep Guardiola informed his players that they have to be almost perfect in their last seven Premier League games to qualify for the Champions League.

City has the opportunity to put pressure on their rivals for a top five place by playing this weekend first. Crystal Palace visits the Etihad Stadium on Saturday lunch and a city would at least jump two places in fourth place with a win.

“If you are in the Champions League next season and want to play on Tuesday, Wednesday, you have to win almost all games,” said Guardiola. “Now it’s not very complicated. We don’t have 15 games, now we still have seven games. It is a final of every single game. We have to win many games to qualify because Newcastle is only one game a week and the quality of Aston Villa and all teams are involved, Chelsea and Nottingham (Forest).”

The city only plays the villa of its immediate Champions League during the entrance. Guardiola asked if he had one last record in mind, joked: “At 21 we will be there, that’s sure.”

Guardiola is Haaland, John Stones, Nathan Aké, Manuel Akanji and Rodri, and Phil Foden is doubt. “You are still hurt,” said the manager. “It happened all the season. We have adapted. You can see it as a problem or a challenge. You could see the position as a disaster, but it could be worse. I am really satisfied with how we dealt with it.”

City will try to improve her performance in the goalless Manchester Derby last Sunday. “A spirit is back,” said Guardiola. “Some games were good – United no – and the spirit is there. Maybe we are fighting us. We are fighting in a game, but the spirit must be there. The main reason is that we have no players, we had a lot of injuries. We could not change. They could not compete against each other, and at certain moments we needed fight and we had no legs. We have no energy.