Pep Guardiola describes being Manchester City boss as a ‘privilege and honour’

Pep Guardiola mentioned it’s a “privilege” to handle Manchester Metropolis after Erling Haaland scored his 91st aim for the Premier League champions to kick off their pursuit of a fifth consecutive title with a 2-0 win over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

The guests dispatched their hosts with relative consolation as new Blues head coach Enzo Maresca noticed his workforce wrestle to create probabilities in his first match in cost, with Mateo Kovacic sealing his facet’s victory late on with a aim on his return to west London.

There was controversy earlier than kick-off when representatives of Raheem Sterling, unnoticed of the matchday squad, issued a press release calling for “readability” on the 31-year-old’s future on the membership, with Maresca later seeming to verify there’s a probability the participant might depart.

However the story at full-time was about Metropolis and the perfect begin of their bid so as to add to the file fourth straight league crowns gained below Guardiola.

“What a privilege and honour to be the supervisor of this group of gamers at this membership, as a result of after what we achieved,” he mentioned.

“The excellent news is the primary three factors. The dangerous information is now we have 70 video games forward of us. That’s why one of the simplest ways is to be calm, relaxed, and benefit from the second after all.”

Maresca was requested to make clear the membership’s place on the absent Sterling in mild of the assertion launched earlier than kick-off.

“The one factor I can say it has been a technical choice,” he mentioned. “Within the subsequent days we’ll see it and make clear the scenario.

“All of the gamers on this second, they’re Chelsea gamers. If they’re going be Chelsea gamers, we’re going to attempt to use them.

“I would like Raheem Sterling, however I would like all of the gamers now we have and there’s no area for all of them. So for a few of them, they’ve to depart.”

Metropolis went in entrance after 18 minutes. Bernardo Silva bought the faintest contact to assist a sq. cross from Jeremy Doku into the ft of Haaland, a enough intervention to divert the ball to the ft of the striker who shrugged off Marc Cucurella to attain.

Nicolas Jackson had Chelsea’s greatest probability to steal a degree on Maresca’s Stamford Bridge bow, flicking out a leg to show Romeo Lavia’s header goalwards solely to be thwarted by the reflexes of Ederson in Metropolis’s aim.

Former Chelsea midfielder Kovacic, who in happier instances for house followers was a Champions League winner with the membership in 2021, lashed within the guests’ second aim six minutes from time.

Nevertheless, Guardiola’s reward was reserved for Haaland after he scored on his landmark a hundredth Metropolis look.

“I’ve a sense he feels higher than he did final season at this stage,” mentioned Guardiola. “I felt final season he was drained. He feels good. The aim was magnificent.

“He has the numbers of (Lionel) Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. When it comes to numbers, he’s at that stage. To attain in 100 video games 91 targets within the Premier League is unbelievable.”

It was additionally the primary time since February 2022 that Metropolis had gained an away recreation within the league with out injured midfielder Rodri.

“It’s essential to win with out him,” mentioned Guardiola. “When somebody mentioned Metropolis can’t do it with out him, we break all of the opinions.

“However wishing him again as fast as potential. Within the meantime, it’s a query of surviving this era.”