Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola says last weekend’s victory over struggling Leeds United should not be interpreted as evidence of a renewed mentality within his team, as City prepare for a challenging Premier League trip to in-form Fulham.
City had entered the match on the back of consecutive defeats — to Newcastle United in the league and Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League — before edging past 18th-placed Leeds 3-2 thanks to a late strike from Phil Foden, a win that moved them into second place.
“It all depends if Phil puts the ball in the net,” Guardiola told reporters on Monday. “I don’t know if you can define mentality off one win. I don’t believe in these kinds of things.”
Guardiola, who has guided City to six Premier League titles, was full of praise for Fulham manager Marco Silva, whose side stunned Tottenham Hotspur with a 2-1 victory on Saturday.
“Marco has been there many years. It’s always tough against his teams,” Guardiola said. “Their organisation is exceptional. Every year, I feel that with the ball they are better and even better.”
The City boss added that recent performances — including matches against Chelsea, Arsenal, and Sunderland — show how difficult Fulham make it for opponents to break them down.
Meanwhile, Guardiola confirmed that midfielder Rodri remains unavailable as he continues to recover from a hamstring injury suffered early last month.
