Pep Guardiola: Jose Mourinho is never going to drop even one game

Pep Guardiola is paying no attention to Jose Mourinho's suggestion that Manchester United have given up on the top four.



Only a point separates the city rivals and Guardiola is not buying the assertion that old foe Mourinho is about to throw in the towel.

'I am pretty sure that United are going to [Arsenal] to win the game,' the Manchester City boss said on Friday.

'What I know from the times I've faced my colleague Jose Mourinho is that he is never going to drop even one game.

'It doesn't matter about the team he's going to play. His decision is he is going to London to win the game.'

Guardiola has tinkered with his team more than any other Premier League manager and claims rotation has not impacted on results.

'With a lot of games you have to rotate. We didn't win or lose because of that. When you win the rotation is very good - when you lose it is very bad.'


City start the most important 10 days of their season against Crystal Palace without Sergio Aguero, who is still feeling the effects of a groin injury picked up last weekend.

David Silva remains a doubt, while John Stones is still struggling with a muscle problem ahead of two other home games with Leicester and West Brom in a period which will determine whether or not they qualify for next season's Champions League.

Guardiola blamed a lack of cutting edge for winning only half of his league matches at the Etihad Stadium, with the return of Gabriel Jesus a welcome boost.

Asked if attacking instincts in the box are an issue, Guardiola replied: 'And quality. The most difficult in football by far is putting the ball in the net, scoring goals.

'In golf, it's putting. Not the drive, the seven iron. In basketball the most difficult thing is putting in the basket.

'We are the team in the Premier League with the most clear-cut chances, but are are seventh in the statistics of the teams scoring the most goals.

'We can accept the opponent scoring one goal, but we haven't scored enough goals. We didn't score two, three, four goals enough times.'