Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola believes his side are at risk of missing out on next season’s UEFA Champions League due to their recent struggles.
The Premier League champions are looking to qualify for Europe’s top club competition for a 15th straight season, but have won just one of their last eight games in the domestic league and are seventh in the table, 12 points behind leaders Liverpool, who have a game in hand.
Guardiola’s side are four points behind Nottingham Forest, who currently occupy the fourth and final Champions League qualification spot.
“When I said before, people laughed. They said, ‘qualifying for the Champions League is not a big success’. But I know it because it happens with clubs in this country,” Guardiola said during his press conference ahead of City’s home match against Everton on Boxing Day.
“They were dominant for many years and after they were many years not qualifying for the Champions League. The one team that has been in the Champions League for the past years has been Manchester City. Now we are at risk, of course we are.”
After Thursday’s fixture City are away to Leicester City on Sunday.
