Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola said that his team is at risk of missing out on the Champions League next season due to its recent decline in performance.
City, which is looking to qualify for the major European club competition for the fifteenth consecutive season, has won only once in its last eight Premier League matches and ranks seventh in the table, 12 points behind leaders Liverpool.
Only Arsenal between 1998 and 2017, and Manchester United between 1996 and 2014, have a longer qualification record among English clubs.
“Ho, ho, ho Cityzens!” 🎅
A festive message from our players 👇
– Manchester City (@ManCity) December 25, 2024
Guardiola's side are four points behind Nottingham Forest, who occupy the fourth and final spot in the Champions League Christmas qualifiers.
“When I said before, people laughed. They said: ‘Qualifying for the Champions League is not a big success.’ “But I know that because it happens with clubs in this country,” Guardiola told reporters ahead of their home match against Everton on Christmas Day.
They dominated for many years and after many years they did not qualify for the Champions League.
“The only team that has been in the Champions League in recent years is Manchester City. Now we are in danger, of course we are.
“If we don't qualify, it's because we didn't deserve it, because we weren't prepared and because we faced a lot of problems and didn't solve them.”
After hosting Everton later on Thursday, City will travel to face Leicester City on December 29.
