Guardiola Makes His Feelings Clear On Whether Man City Will Be Premier League Title Contenders Next Season

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola says he will give no guarantees that his team will compete for the title again next season.

The Cityzens have had a difficult campaign, ultimately finishing in 3rd, 13 points behind champions Liverpool, and when asked if he can see his side regaining their crown, Guardiola replied:

“I don’t know. I never thought we would win six Premier League titles in seven years but if you expect that I am going to tell you now that next season we are going to win the Premier League, you are wrong.”

“Since I have arrived at this club, we have finished with 80-plus points and this season we have finished with 71 so that is miles away from our standards. And it has happened for many reasons. Sport and football gives you another chance and we will look to prove ourselves but we are miles away from Liverpool. That is the reality.”

Guardiola did, however, express some optimism ahead of the 2025/26 season, stating he is confident that they will do better than finishing a distant 3rd:

“I have a feeling next season will be better but I don’t know how we will react after the Club World Cup. We will be exhausted without a holiday before next season. We have to rise and increase our level, otherwise we will not compete to fight for the titles. But if we are fit, we will try and we will be closer.”

What are the Premier League title odds for next season?

Unsurprisingly, reigning champions Liverpool are regarded as the favourites at the moment, with most bookmakers pricing them between 15/8 and 2/1.

Arsenal and City are joint second favourites, with bookies giving odds of between 9/4 and 5/2.

City have a big summer ahead of them

Guardiola’s reticence to commit to a title challenge is likely due to the amount of work that needs to be done in the transfer market. Key players, including Kevin De Bruyne, are set to leave the Etihad.

The quality of the replacements brought in will be crucial in terms of how well the Cityzens can compete with their rivals next campaign.

Find out who is in Manchester City’s first-team squad for the 2024/2025 season here