Pep Guardiola focused on FA Cup progress and keen to avoid underdog ‘problems’ | OneFootball

Pep Guardiola insists Manchester City’s main focus this week has been Saturday’s FA Cup trip to Leyton Orient.

The City boss has had plenty on his mind in recent days following last weekend’s 5-1 thrashing by Arsenal and the £49.9million deadline day signing of Nico Gonzalez.

On top of that, the first leg of City’s Champions League last-16 tie against holders and record 15-time winners Real Madrid is now starting to loom large.

Despite that, Guardiola maintains this weekend’s fourth-round tie against the League One Os at the Gaughan Group Stadium has been his prime concern.

Guardiola said: “Tomorrow we play early, 1230, and after the game we will come back here to Manchester and we will have time to start to talk.

“Of course I had an eye (on the game) against Madrid but Leyton deserve my attention.

“It’s always been like that, otherwise we don’t get to the amount of semi-finals and finals of cups we have in the last five or six years.

“I am concerned and focused on Leyton. Always we have had problems away in this competition – FA Cup or Carabao Cup – even against teams in League One and Two.

“Always we struggle but we are ready for the challenge. Every game is a new opportunity.”

Always we have had problems away in this competition – FA Cup or Carabao Cup – even against teams in League One and Two

Pep Guardiola

Guardiola has suggested some players could return from injury this weekend and gain valuable minutes ahead of the Madrid encounter.

Defenders Nathan Ake and Ruben Dias, winger Jeremy Doku and goalkeeper Ederson are all hoping to prove their fitness.

“Maybe some of them (will play), we will see,” Guardiola said.

Spanish midfielder Gonzalez could make his City debut following his move from Porto.

The 23-year-old offers a holding option City have lacked since talisman Rodri suffered a serious injury in September.

Guardiola said: “He’s really important. It’s a position where we were weak from Rodri’s absence.

“He’s a young player, 23. He can play six, eight or in the pockets. He has physicality, he’s a strong boy. I’m really pleased with the effort of the club to bring him here for the next years.”

Guardiola gave his players some time off this week following the crushing Premier League loss to the Gunners at the Emirates Stadium.

“We had two days off because we have had and will have a lot of games,” Guardiola said. “I prefer instead of training the people go with their families and rest a little bit.”