Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has rejected claims that rebuilding his squad is the toughest challenge of his career, despite his team struggling for form in the Premier League.
Ahead of their clash with Tottenham on Wednesday, City sit 20 points behind league leaders Liverpool following a 2-0 defeat at the weekend. Their Champions League hopes also ended after a 6-3 aggregate loss to Real Madrid.
However, Guardiola, who has guided City to six Premier League titles in seven years, remains unfazed by the process of rejuvenating the squad.
“We have done it already,” the Spaniard said on Tuesday. “After nine years, it’s not the same as when we started. We’ve rebuilt two or three times already, so this is not the biggest challenge.”
City made four new signings in January, including Omar Marmoush and Nico Gonzalez, as they look to bounce back from injuries and inconsistent performances.
Historically, City have struggled at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, winning just two of their last eight visits. Their previous trip ended in a 2-1 League Cup loss, part of a poor run that included a 4-0 home defeat to Spurs.
Guardiola acknowledged the threat posed by Ange Postecoglou’s side, despite their mid-table position.
“They have fantastic individual quality, play with great intensity, and are very dangerous on transitions,” he noted.
Meanwhile, Erling Haaland remains a doubt for the game after missing the last two matches with a knee injury.
“We’ll know after training tonight,” Guardiola said. “I hope he’s ready, but I’m not sure yet.”
