The 2024/25 campaign has been a struggle for Pep Guardiola and Man City.
The Manchester club have gone from winning four Premier League titles in a row to fighting for a spot in next season’s Champions League with five games remaining, while the FA Cup also remains on the table as this week is set to prove crucial for both goals.
| Position | Team | Played MP | Won W | Drawn D | Lost L | For GF | Against GA | Diff GD | Points Pts |
| 3 |  Nottm ForestNottingham Forest | 33 | 18 | 6 | 9 | 53 | 39 | 14 | 60 |
| 4 |  NewcastleNewcastle | 33 | 18 | 5 | 10 | 62 | 44 | 18 | 59 |
| 5 |  Man CityManchester City | 33 | 17 | 7 | 9 | 64 | 42 | 22 | 58 |
| 6 |  ChelseaChelsea | 33 | 16 | 9 | 8 | 58 | 40 | 18 | 57 |
Man City host Aston Villa on Tuesday night, before travelling to Wembley on Sunday to keep their hopes of winning silverware alive for the current campaign.
Many of Guardiola’s squad have made their feelings clear about this season clear, however, the Spanish coach doesn’t seem too down about the campaign, which might not be a good thing for the Manchester club.
Pep Guardiola entering dangerous territory with Man City
Guardiola was key to Man City’s win against Everton on Saturday as the legendary coach made important changes that won his team the game at Goodison Park.
The three points have put City in a strong position to qualify for the Champions League next season and that will only increase with a win over Aston Villa on Tuesday.
Ahead of the contest at the Etihad Stadium, Guardiola has stated that Man City should be happy with qualifying for Europe’s elite competition this season and that it would be a ‘big success’.
“If we think qualification is not enough for us, we are in ruin,’ Guardiola said via the Daily Mail. “I’ve always thought qualification is a big, big success. I try to convince the players that it is a huge achievement in this league.
“Don’t feel sorry for ourselves because we’ve not had a good season. We still have something to fight for that is really good for the future.”
This is dangerous territory for Guardiola to enter ahead of next season as it seems that he is shifting the goalposts on what the expectations should be at the Premier League champions.
Bernardo Silva’s view on the topic is the right approach and his manager should take a leaf out of the Portuguese international’s book.
Premier League or bust for Man City
Speaking to ESPN after Man City’s win over Bournemouth in the last round of the FA Cup, Silva stated that winning the competition would not make the 2024/25 campaign a successful one.
“No,” Silva said. “Our goals are much higher than this. Of course, we would be happy, but it doesn’t make the season good.”
Winning the FA Cup and qualifying for the Champions League would salvage the season for City, however, it has still been a failure from what was expected before a ball was kicked.
The Manchester club’s dressing room knows this, therefore, Guardiola’s comments should be a bit of a worry heading into next season as key leaders such as Kevin De Bruyne and Silva may not be at Man City beyond this summer, which will require others to step up.
Although the 2024/25 campaign has been underwhelming, Guardiola cannot lower the standards at the Etihad, as next season needs to see City challenging for the Premier League once again.
