Pep Guardiola has admitted that after losing the match against Newcastle 2-1 at St.James Park in the middle of the season, Manchester City thought that the season is over.
“Right after the game in the locker room [we thought it was over],” admitted the boss.
“The next day Liverpool played at home against Leicester and they had won an incredible amount of games. Right after, it was over, it was difficult to recover.
“The fact they didn’t win meant we were still there. Still we were alive.
“The fact that we played most of our games after Liverpool, and the fact we knew we couldn’t drop points. Sometimes it’s easy to prepare the mental approach of the players.
“Everyone was convinced that the only chance we had to win to was to win every single game.
“Everybody knew it. Win, or we are out. And that sometimes helps. You know what you have to do.”
City eventually went on to win but Guardiola emphasized that even without silverware, he loves England.
“There is no better place to play or do you job as a manager than here in England,” he added.
“Here the fans always support you. I remember my first year was difficult, the people support you.
“It is the ideal place to work, especially here. I felt in that in the first season when we didn’t win the title, how they supported me.
“I don’t forget that.”
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