The Etihad Stadium welcomes Liverpool this Sunday in what is always an exciting clash between two fierce sides. Ahead the game Guardiola first gave some team news and revealed striker Erling Haaland may not be available.
"Don't know yet. Tomorrow we will know it but I don't know. It's better to have Erling on the pitch but obviously, we don't have it but of course with Erling we are stronger."
He was also pressed on whether Stones is set for a longer period of time on the sidelines and may need surgery after he was taken off early against Real Madrid on Wednesday night in their 3-1 loss.
"He's injured, difficult one, next hours/days we will know whether he needs surgery or not.
"Yes, like Manuel Akanji (who is out for eight to 10 weeks after suffering an abductor injury in the first leg of their Champions League tie against Real Madrid).
Liverpool are top of the league by some distance under manager Arne Slot and Guardiola was next asked if they are stronger under the Dutchman than under former boss Jurgen Klopp.
"I'm not going to answer that question. I have much respect for Jurgen and I know you want to go but I will not play that game."
Guardiola then revealed his goal for this season is to challenge for a Champions League spot and rallied his side who he thinks can challenge anyone despite their inconsistent form since the start of the campaign.
"We can compete with any team. We have two central defenders out for two to three months. The Premier League is massively important for us. In the Premier League we have played really good games.
"We are not stable but in other games such as against Newcastle, we have been at a high level. We will try to play a good game and the points that we need to stay up there to qualify (for the Champions League) next season."
Guardiola accepted that the defeat at Real Madrid proves his side have not been at their best this season but remained optimistic for the season ahead in the next part of the season which he says is incredibly important to him.
“We are in a not bad moment,” he began.
“If you see Madrid, they were the better team and are a better team right now, but I had the feeling in recent years in the Champions League we can compete with any team.
“In previous seasons against that team - we feel it they feel it - we were there and, in many aspects, better than them. This time we couldn’t go through.
“Look now with two central defenders out for two months. This period in the Premier League is now massively important for us.
“We lost 5-1 against Arsenal but we played very well for 60 minutes. We were not stable.
“The games are different, strength of the opponent is different. We need to try and stay there and qualify next season for where we were on Wednesday.”
Finally, the Spanish head coach commented on the tight fixture list which sees them face Liverpool before facing off against Tottenham next Wednesday. He insisted that the tough run of fixtures throughout February must not be an excuse for poor form.
“The schedule is the schedule. I never complain about that. Sometimes you have difficult ones. We play this one, then Spurs,” he said.
“The time between games after that will be six, seven days, which will be good to recover player and prepare.
“And we will see what we can do over the final months of the season - we will give our best.”