Nunes’ Late Strike Secures Crucial Win as Manager Demands Higher Standards
Pep Guardiola offered a surprisingly critical assessment of Manchester City’s season following their dramatic 2-1 stoppage-time victory over Aston Villa, describing their campaign as “not good enough” despite moving into third place in the Premier League.
The match appeared headed for a draw until substitute Jeremy Doku’s mazy run and cross found Matheus Nunes for a 94th-minute winner, sending the Etihad Stadium into raptures. The Portuguese midfielder’s first Premier League goal for City came after Marcus Rashford’s penalty had canceled out Bernardo Silva’s early opener.
“If we’re being honest, this season hasn’t met our standards,” Guardiola told Sky Sports in a remarkably candid post-match interview. “Qualifying for Champions League or reaching cup finals doesn’t change that. Our benchmark is Premier League dominance, and we’ve fallen short of that consistency.”
The Catalan manager pointed to their FA Cup victory over Bournemouth as a turning point, but admitted “the fire wasn’t there earlier in the season.” He added: “We’ve shown better mentality recently, even when not playing well. That’s the minimum requirement – something we’ve lacked at times this year.”
Guardiola did praise his team’s performance against high-flying Villa, particularly highlighting “the defensive solidity and Doku’s game-changing impact.” His counterpart Unai Emery was left frustrated after seeing his side concede so late.
“We were seconds from a valuable point,” the Villa manager lamented. “City’s quality told in the end, but we’ll take the positives into our crucial final matches.”
With both clubs fighting for European qualification, this dramatic encounter could prove pivotal – though Guardiola’s sobering assessment suggests even success may not mask what he clearly views as a below-par season for the reigning champions.
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