In a crucial encounter in the race for Champions League qualification, City and Villa meet at the Etihad Stadium for one of the biggest games of the season. Currently, the top five sides will qualify for the competition and Guardiola first spoke about how this game is still seen as a ”final”.
“Absolutely. After that, the game against Wolves will be a final again. Every game counts. Aston Villa are a contender to qualify for the Champions League. The game against PSG and my friend Luis Enrique, I was really impressed.
“They can play a low block and with the speed and the set pieces they have it’s a weapon. It’s a final and our people can help us to play the Champions League again next season. From the minute one, we need them to support us and make noise all the time.”
O'Reilly continues to perform
City closed the gap on third-placed Newcastle United by winning 2-0 away to Everton thanks to late goals from Nico O'Reilly and Mateo Kovacic and Guardiola was full of praise for the academy star who is on the cusp of a new contract.
“The season is long and we have one game a week so he can recover. We need to see if he can play every three days. It’s a reality and I admire a lot that he’s playing a position he’s never played before.
“He’s learning and has to improve of course but with the ball he’s good and if he played in midfield every cross he would be on the penalty spot. He likes to be there. The problems we have with set pieces, he’s helping us.”
Gvardiol in midfield?
The Spanish head coach was also asked if Josko Gvardiol could be an option in midfield for next season as he slowly pushes further up the pitch each game.
"Yeah. I like him, especially with the build-up with the left.
"He's fast, so fast, going behind. I think Ruben and him as a person, they are so generous, so they talk a lot, especially Ruben, and I think they are doing a really, really good partnership, so he's an option.
"We'll see if we buy, I don't think we're going to or that the club needs centre defenders, because we have a lot, and we bought two young ones in winter, but we'll see.
"The important thing is to have a player who can play there, and can play in left back, and that is so important for us."
Doku's immense impact
Finally, he opened up on Jeremy Doku who came on late at Goodison Park and changed the game for good. Guardiola explained why the Belgian winger hasn’t started our last three matches.
“I have been so unfair with him in the last games. I remember the games with Spurs away and Brighton, without him they would be impossible,” said the boss.
“The only reason he has not played recently is because we didn’t attack with wingers. We attack with full-backs wide and players in the middle.
“His impact was much better than Old Trafford. Old Trafford was not good.
“Today (Saturday) he had the ball and stretched the defence, arrived at the byline. Jeremy in the final third he is unstoppable and today I am really pleased that he played really good.”