MANCHESTER, England — Pep Guardiola has cautioned his Manchester City squad that they need to enhance their performance if they aspire to clinch the Premier League, despite their 3-0 victory over West Ham on Saturday.
City now sit at the top of the standings pending Arsenal‘s match against Everton later that day, thanks to two goals from Erling Haaland and another from Tijjani Reijnders.
This victory marked seven consecutive wins across all competitions for Guardiola’s team, yet it failed to fully satisfy the manager.
“We need to enhance our ball control,” Guardiola stated. “If we don’t, it won’t be enough as we approach March and April in the title race.
“[West Ham] is a competent team, but I want to be candid. I told the players: ‘Happy Christmas to everyone, but improvement is essential for us to succeed.’
City managed the game well against West Ham, with Haaland scoring his first goal just five minutes in.
Reijnders then added a second goal before halftime, yet West Ham regrouped in the second half, creating early chances for a comeback with attempts from Freddie Potts and Jarrod Bowen.
However, Haaland secured the win with his second goal in the 69th minute, quashing any hopes of a West Ham comeback.
While Guardiola expressed his appreciation for Haaland’s contributions, he did not hold back in his critique of other performers, specifically captain Bernardo Silva.
“Bernardo is my favorite, but I expect more from him,” Guardiola remarked. “Today, I’m not satisfied with his performance.”
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“He’s exceptional, capable of playing in multiple positions, which is extraordinary. Yet, he didn’t perform well today.”