It’s a final – Pep Guardiola urges Man City to win Villa clash in CL pursuit | OneFootball

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Pep Guardiola has urged Manchester City fans to bring the noise and treat their remaining five Premier League games as cup finals.

After winning the last four league titles during an unprecedented spell of domestic dominance, City’s goal this term is to earn a place back at European football’s top table.

Guardiola’s side sit fourth having recovered from an awful end to 2024, but they still have work to do in the fight for a Champions League spot, with five teams separated by just two points.

One of those teams are Tuesday’s opponents Aston Villa, who impressed Guardiola in their narrow Champions League quarter-final exit at the hands of Paris St Germain last week.

Asked if the game against Villa was like a cup final, Guardiola said: “Absolutely. And after Aston Villa the game against Wolves will be a final, then Southampton because every game counts.

“But Villa are a contender to qualify for the Champions League and when you see the game they played against my friend Luis Enrique and PSG I was really impressed.

“They can play a low block but when they decide to go, with the weapons they have, the speed they have, the set-pieces, it’s a final and we need our people because I think our people want the Champions League again next season and hopefully they can wait from minute one.

“Sometimes we are slow, sometimes we are not playing good, but we need them desperately to support us, to make noise and being there all the time because it’s a final. Absolutely it is a final for us.”

Jeremy Doku will be hoping to feature from the start against Villa after being restricted to substitute appearances in the last three games against Manchester United, Crystal Palace and Everton.

“I’ve been so unfair with him in the last games,” Guardiola said.

“But the only reason that he doesn’t play lately is because we didn’t attack in the last games with wingers. We had full-backs wide and more players in the middle.

“I feel sorry for him in the other games. But his impact at Everton was better, he had a threat and got to the byline. Jeremy in the final third is unstoppable. I’m really pleased that he played really good (at Everton).”