Response to Manchester City fans’ protest and three major injury updates – Every Word from part two of Pep Guardiola’s Leicester preview press conference | OneFootball

Manchester City return to Premier League action for the first time since the March international break this week as they welcome Leicester City to the Etihad Stadium.

It was an immediate return to winning ways across all competitions last time out as Pep Guardiola and his players returned from their national team duties by reaching the semi-finals of the FA Cup where Nottingham Forest await at Wembley Stadium.

Goals from Erling Haaland and Omar Marmoush secured victory over Bournemouth at the quarter-final stage on the south coast following an inspired performance from Nico O’Reilly after his half-time introduction.

That win came after a hugely disappointing 2-2 home draw against Brighton & Hove Albion before the international break at the Etihad Stadium, and an Erling Haaland-less Manchester City side will be hoping for a much stronger performance this time around against the Foxes.

The Norwegian international begins an injury induced lay-off of up to seven weeks on Wednesday night after he sustained an ankle injury that may not rule him out of the rest of the campaign, but hands City a significant blow to their pursuit of European football.

Now, following the release of the second-half of Pep Guardiola’s pre-match press conference ahead of the clash against Leicester City on Wednesday night, here is every single word from the Manchester City manager!

On whether Omar Marmoush can play in the number nine role like Erling Haaland, and whether it is his ‘strongest’ role

“Yeah, he can play (in that position). Phil (Foden) can play there, Macca (James McAtee) can play there, Oscar Bobb can play there. There are players I can play there.”

On whether Omar Marmoush would like to play as Manchester City’s number nine

“He likes to play close to the box, he loves to score, he has a sense of goal definitely, and he has it, yeah.”

On whether he senses there is a divide growing between local fans and ‘tourist’ fans or fans from abroad

“I want to be honest; I don’t know why, I didn’t speak with the club about this particular subject. So I don’t know, I cannot talk because… Maybe I will know it in the next days, next hours, but I don’t know now.”

On the concern being that local fans are being priced out

“The only thing I know is that they (the club) have a meeting for the next week or this week or maybe Thursday or Friday with the fans, and this is what has to be talked. And I said before, so; this is a football club that depends because we have our fans.

“Not now, since Maine Road, since a long, long time ago. Football clubs belong to the people, and the people are not in agreement with something – like the same when they applaud, when in the last eight years when we won what we won because we have incredible players to achieve what we achieved – and when they boo, because they are unsatisfied for our performance.

“Imagine going to the stadium with no fans, and nobody there? But not just here, in all the stadiums, it would not make sense, or going there and nobody watches on TV. So it doesn’t make sense our job. We should close the door!

“And of course, they can legitimately express their concerns and their feelings with the club and the club is open to listen to them and try to arrive in an agreement that everybody can be satisfied. The only thing I can say: I NEED THEM! WE NEED THEM!

“We need the fans close to the games and support us, and in the bad moments be there because we are playing for a lot. But who am I to say – not here when I was in Barcelona, when I was in Bayern Munich as a manager – don’t be in agreement with the people who can express what they want to express.

“I can have my opinion, but that is irrelevant. It’s not important.”

On what it says about Manchester City if in his worst season they can still finish in the top-four and win a trophy

“Ah it would be incredible. For the problems we had, for what happened to Erling (Haaland) – it’s all season. When we won the treble, everybody was there. When we won the quadruple, everybody was there. When we did the double, everybody was there.

“Of course we had injuries in that period, but one. But we had a lot. Imagine without (Abdukodir) Khusanov and Vitor (Reis) – we would have the last six, seven, eight weeks with just one central defender, with Ruben (Dias). That is difficult to compete in that.

“We won one title this season, Community Shield. We have one title in the pocket, and alongside Newcastle, we are the two ones who have done it. I think between Arsenal and Liverpool will define the Premier League, and we will see the FA Cup.

“And of course, with the situation we have, we want the Champions League next season and it will be an incredible success just for the fact of being there, for the problems that we had. But sometimes there are seasons that sometimes happen, don’t tell me why, sometimes hopefully everything is going that season, all the worst in that season.

“And next season will be completely different, I hope so.”

On how he will communicate to his players with his touchline ban vs Leicester

“My assistants will communicate, I cannot. At half-time I will do it, but not in the game.”

On whether he learns anything when he’s sat in the stands

“The view is better. And I’m not annoying to my players. My players all the time complain to me how annoying I am, so they will be free and can express their talent.”

On Manuel Akanji

“He’s getting better. All of them I think, I don’t know Nathan (Ake), will come back before the end of the season. But I don’t know when. But Manu is getting better.

(How long will it be before he can train with the squad?) “No, I don’t know.

(Manuel Akanji and John Stones back before the end of the month?) “End of April, yeah maybe. I think for April maybe they will be back. It’s a long time they’re out. Look with John and Nathan, all three. I’m lucky that Josko (Gvardiol) was like a warrior, a real warrior, all the time there, all the times since the beginning of the season.

“So I cannot imagine what would happen without Josko, what they have done. That’s why I just can be grateful and appreciate his focus to be ready all the time.”

On whether it would be one of his greatest achievements to get this current Manchester City team into the UEFA Champions League for next season

“They won’t give me a bonus. When I have a Premier League (title win), I have a bonus. When we win the Premier League I have bonus, now I don’t have a bonus. So they’re better achievements. Of course it would be (satisfying in a different context), yeah of course.

“I understand when Jose (Mourinho) said this quote (about finishing second to Manchester City with Manchester United in 2017/18 being one of his greatest-ever achievements as a manager) and the intention of your question. Of course it would be, definitely.

“For the club, for next season, we want to play the Champions League. Always I’ll reinforce what I’ve said a thousand million times; so the people take for granted since City have played in the Champions League it is going to happen in the future.

“And one month, two months ago people asked if we would qualify for the Champions League, and people don’t even pay attention, I know how difficult it is. Otherwise, all important teams would have been every season in the Champions League and it didn’t happen.

“We are the only one, in the last I don’t know how many years, to have been there, like look at the FA Cup. These types of things I give a lot, a lot, a lot of importance because it’s the consistency, like always I’ve been looking for as a manager since day one I became.

“There are no better competitions to play there and this season it would not be possible to do it in the Premier League. And in the Champions League that we have done the worst Champions League since we have been here.

“But look in the FA Cup, seven (semi-finals) in a row. Come on! The people say, ‘Yeah, you’re playing teams of the Championship, League One.’ In seven years, when it’s in a row, you play most of the time, sometimes, against Premier League teams, the toughest ones.

“And we have been there seven years; that means, WOW! I like that. And maybe we will not win the FA Cup but we have been there. In the Premier League, we have not been there, in the Champions League, we have not been there, in the FA Cup we have been there, in the Carabao Cup, we were not there but we competed incredibly well at Spurs away.

“We were better than them and we lost, but it’s fine, it’s OK. But in the Champions League, in the Premier League, we have not been there in terms of who we have to be. We won against Bournemouth, we could lose, maybe.

“But this is my team; they fight, they make a challenge, the type of game they… Because the team, for example, the type of game that Nottingham Forest faced us with is completely different to Bournemouth. And you have to adapt, you have to challenge each one.

“And I like to see the team. And after, of course, you cannot win all the time, simply because it’s impossible, you cannot. But at least be yourself. And this is what you’re looking for and of course in the situation that we have not been really, really good in the Premier League, being there is being in the top four or maybe top five – because maybe fifth in the Premier League for the good, good performances of all the teams, maybe they will play next season – of course will be a good, really, really good, of course.

“This season has been so weird, so difficult. First of all, we didn’t have the players. That is the main target, the main reason. And after, there are a lot of other ones, but especially this one. So you cannot compete in all competitions when we don’t have the players.

“Because: Treble? Without players we don’t win the treble. Quadruple? We don’t win all the domestic titles without the players, and this season it happened. We had a lot, a lot of players without, but now it’s the last moment. Look at the week that is ahead of us.

“I saw the forecast yesterday, it will be good. And we have nine games, nine finals, and we’re going to try, and next season, with our fans – happy or unhappy – they will support us to qualify for the Champions League. That is what we want.”