Manchester City are expected to get the better of Nottingham Forest, but Pep Guardiola has made a big claim about why last season’s seventh place team are doing so poorly.
The day has arrived for Manchester City to take on Nottingham Forest in the Premier League and the home team really ought to achieve a victory at the Etihad Stadium.
Forest are down in 17th and have picked up just two points since the beginning of February. In fact, Vitor Pereira’s team are currently on a three-match losing streak in all competitions.
Whereas Man City are in winning form and have shown they can snatch three points even when their performances are quite underwhelming.
However, Pep Guardiola has spoken about the quality across the Premier League, explaining how clubs chasing Champions League spots are dropping points to those lower down the table.
Pep Guardiola claims Nottingham Forest’s struggles are not based on quality
In Guardiola’s eyes, some clubs actually have great players, but there are other reasons for their poor displays.
He believes this to be true of Nottingham Forest, who are suffering from ‘emotional issues’, rather than being a team who lack quality.
Guardiola said in his press conference: “I don’t agree with the people saying the league is not good this season, or the winner will not be good. I don’t agree. It’s tougher, it’s really, really tough.
“Look at Wolves, bottom, and I see them, how tough it is. Arsenal could not win, they beat Aston Villa – Unai [Emery] is one of my mirrors as a manager. I learned a lot watching them, incredibly well-prepared. It’s really, really tough.
“Look at Nottingham Forest, individual player by player, ‘How are they struggling?!’ And I’m pretty sure it’s for emotional issues, no more.”
He added: “Sometimes the dynamic, expectations last season, Europa League, for nothing were not in the Champions League, and the expectations are high, maybe, I don’t know.”
Nottingham Forest have not been able to build stability
Vangelis Marinakis has become quite controversial this season and his decision to sack Nuno Espirito Santo was highly criticised.
He then proceeded to fire Ange Postecoglou very soon after handing him the job and Sean Dyche became the latest victim of his wrath.
Perhaps Forest are in such a bad state not because of the standard of their squad, but because no manager has been given time to truly implement their style, leaving the players unsettled.
