Teams are no longer scared of us: Guardiola

Everton's Moyes to celebrate 700th Premier League game milestone

MEXICO CITY:

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said teams have changed tactics because they are no longer intimidated by his side and that is making the Champions League campaign more difficult.

City are down in 25th place in the Champions League table, two points off the playoff spots, and Guardiola has noticed an increase in opposing teams adopting a man-marking approach.

"Everyone came to the Etihad and stayed back," he told a press conference on Friday. "The first team I saw man-marking was Neil Warnock at Cardiff.

Now everybody does it. Everybody comes here, it doesn't matter, man-to-man.

"They just jump on (City's goalkeepers) Ederson or Stefan (Ortega). You have to adapt, you have to be better with the ball, otherwise you will not qualify for the Champions League."

The Spaniard said while his side may have been outplayed by Paris St Germain in a 4-2 defeat on Wednesday, their problems were more about effective use of the ball than physicality.

"Speed is important, but against PSG we ran more than they did," he said. "Our problem is with the ball. That is what we have been lacking this season.

"When you have the ball and you don't pass it properly to your partner, everything is so difficult."

He stressed the importance of passing accuracy and said there was room for improvement despite the influx of new talent.

City signed Egypt forward Omar Marmoush from Eintracht Frankfurt on Wednesday after bringing in 19-year-old Brazilian defender Vitor Reis and Uzbekistan defender Abdukodir Khusanov.

City's recent poor form has seen them win one game in 13, and Guardiola believes Champions League qualification would be as significant an achievement as winning a trophy, especially with injuries to key players like Rodri and a depleted defence.

City are fifth in the Premier League, 12 points adrift of leaders Liverpool, as they prepare to host fourth-placed Chelsea on Saturday trailing the Londoners by two points.

Despite their struggles, Guardiola remains focused on making tactical adjustments to restore their competitive edge and a return to the Champions League via a place in the top four.

Moyes' celebrations

Everton manager David Moyes will celebrate a major career milestone when he takes charge of his 700th Premier League game on Saturday, describing the achievement as incredible.

Everton, who are 16th with 20 points, visit Brighton & Hove Albion when Moyes will become only the third manager to reach 700 Premier League games, alongside Arsenal's Arsene Wenger with 828 and Manchester United's Alex Ferguson on 810.

The 61-year-old Moyes is the oldest manager in the division in his second spell at the Merseyside club, while Brighton's Fabian Hurzeler is the youngest at 31. "It's incredible really.

When you start out, I don't think you ever believe you will become a Premier League manager but to get 700 games behind me is a fair achievement, I am very pleased," Moyes told at a press conference on Friday.

"There's two great managers ahead of me, Arsene and Alex. I don't think I'll be making their numbers, that's for sure."

Moyes has had a varied career in the English top flight, having also managed West Ham United twice, as well as short spells at Manchester United and Sunderland.

Appointed by Everton in 2002, Moyes was the youngest manager in the Premier League aged 39 at a time when Bobby Robson was the oldest, 30 years his senior. "I remember Sir Bobby giving me some words of wisdom.

It is amazing how things have changed and I have been very fortunate and lucky to have been given opportunities at clubs," Moyes added.