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Pep Guardiola spoke about what he wants from his Manchester City team after an excellent 3-0 win over Liverpool
Pep Guardiola has told his Manchester City players to improve in the coming months as he waits for more complete performances.
City moved to within four points of Arsenal at the top of the Premier League after powering past Liverpool in a 3-0 win at the Etihad. It followed on from similarly impressive home victories against Bournemouth and Dortmund in the last eight days, with 10 goals scored and just two conceded.
Guardiola was delighted with the 'incredible present' of a win at home over his biggest rivals to mark his 1,000th performance. He also thinks the team have shown they can compete with the best sides in the league.
However, as their name now begins to enter conversations about the title race, Guardiola warned that his players can still improve. Pointing out aspects in each of the last three games that he hasn't liked, the City manager said he needs his team to be growing over the course of a long campaign if they are to challenge for silverware again.
"When we lost at Aston Villa or lost at the beginning of the season, I said the team had a good vibe but don't ask me why," he said. "The reason why is look at the bench today and even Khusa (Abdukodir Khusanov) who was not selected.
"Last season we couldn't do that. We lost energy with the players we fielded. I think the four Premier Leagues in a row affected us in a really bad way.
"We were not like what I think this team has shown in many many years. It can be understandable a little bit. We tried to push each other but we were not able to do it.
"Even with that, we finished third when normally in the Premier League in that situation you would finish 10th. We never gave up and in the last 15 to 20 games we were the best in the Premier League.
"Since the Club World Cup, I felt something different in general and last season was not one reason. Everyone was involved and me the first and that's why.
"People compete and try to feel that we are getting better. In October, November you don't win Premier Leagues. Teams win the Premier League when every month the team is growing and when that happens you arrive at the end fighting for the title.
"It's not the team who is top in September or October - you have to grow. You can be top but you have to be better and better.
"We talk a lot and we have the feeling that we are in that way. It's nice to still have the feeling that we are back in terms of many things.
"I didn't like the second half against Bournemouth or the second half against Liverpool or the last half-an-hour against Dortmund. It wasn't like the first half.
"This is the point we have to grow as a team but this was an important week. Bournemouth came second in the table, Dortmund are always dangerous in the Champions League and then with Liverpool it was a fantastic week for us."
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