Perfectionist Manager Demands Improvement After Haaland Brace Seals Comfortable Win
Pep Guardiola delivered a pointed Christmas message to his Manchester City squad on Saturday, mixing seasonal goodwill with a stark warning after a 3-0 victory over West Ham United sent them provisionally top of the Premier League.
Goals from Erling Haaland—who netted twice—and Tijjani Reijnders sealed an eighth straight league win. But the manager’s post-match focus was not on the table but on his team’s flaws.
“I said to the players, ‘Merry Christmas, but it will not be enough if you will not improve,'” Guardiola revealed. “It’s good to be there, but I’m telling you we have to improve our game.”
The Spaniard, a known perfectionist, admitted he was “so happy” with City’s position but insisted the team’s ultimate fate hinges on growth. “Today was clear we were not in the right spots,” he said. “We will be there [in the title race] if they follow me. I know the level in this Premier League… It’s not enough.”
The win at the Etihad contrasted sharply with City’s finish to 2024, which included a home loss to Manchester United. Guardiola highlighted the return of a vital ingredient he felt was absent last campaign: hunger.
“Spirit is there. Didn’t have that last season—the spirit, the aggression, the hunger. It comes from inside,” he said.
He reserved special praise for Erling Haaland, whose double took him to 104 Premier League goals in just 114 appearances—surpassing Cristiano Ronaldo’s total in less than half the time. “Thanks, Erling, always I have to thank him for the goals, obviously,” Guardiola said.
While also commending Phil Foden and academy graduate Nico O’Reilly, the manager stressed that technical sharpness and chance creation—despite 19 shots to West Ham’s eight—must improve.
“The way we played with the ball we have to improve,” he warned. “Otherwise, it will not be enough to arrive in March, April, to be a contender to win the title.”
For now, City sit where they want to be. But Guardiola’s clear message is that their current best won’t keep them there for long.
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