The prospect of City winning the league for the fourth year in a row has been branded boring by some neutrals. But Guardiola has a passionate riposte to such claims as he also rejected the idea City have simply bought their success.
The Citizens’ net spend over the past five years is -£326million, well below Arsenal’s (-£551m), United’s (-£595m) and Chelsea’s (-£673m). Guardiola said: “It’s not boring. But before, do you know what it [the criticism] was? It was the money.
“So for that reason United should have won all the titles – all of them. Second? Chelsea – all the titles. Third? Arsenal – all the titles. They spent as much money in the last five years as us.
“So they should be there, but they are not there. For that reason, Girona shouldn’t be in the Champions League and Leicester shouldn’t have won the Premier League years ago.
“So now it’s boring? It’s not boring. It’s so difficult to be here again and we want to win it.”
Guardiola is eager for City to make history and become the first team ever to win four titles in a row. It is a feat not even the legendary 1980s Liverpool team or Sir Alex Ferguson’s Man United ever managed, nor Arsenal under Arsene Wenger or Chelsea under Jose Mourinho.
“In the beginning of the season no, we didn’t think about the four Premier Leagues,” the City manager added. “But if we’re still there in February, March or April and we can still do it, after it ignites something in all our heads that says ‘guys, no team has done it’.
“That shows you how hard it is. Liverpool in the 1980s, Sir Alex Ferguson’s United in the 1990s, Chelsea with Roman Abramovich and Jose Mourinho and Arsenal with Arsene Wenger didn’t do it. So if it’s not been done, it’s difficult. It’s as simple as that.
“History is in front of us and we have to accept that we have not done it so it’s the time to do it. Otherwise, Arsenal will be champions.”
City have lost all of their last four Premier League away games at Tottenham, who they face in their penultimate match tonight (Tuesday, 8pm). And Guardiola is wary that Spurs could be their nemeses again in north London this evening.
“We can lose or draw against Tottenham and lose the title, absolutely,” he warned. “Our mindset is to go there and win it but if we lose – okay, the journey, this season, was unbelievable.
“We’re in the FA Cup final and fighting for the Premier League, so what else can I ask for? But people only remember the winners. It’s nice to be there, but not enough – now we have the chance.”
