As the pressure rises Manchester City now control their own destiny

After a weekend that saw Manchester City seize control of the Premier League title race, the champions now find themselves in seemingly their favoured position. With the pressure rising, they now control their own destiny in the chase for a fourth consecutive Premier League title. Whether or not they claim that historical achievement rests solely on Pep Guardiola’s squads shoulders. It is almost the ideal scenario for the champions to be in with 6 games remaining in the Premier League season.

In the UEFA Champions League and FA Cup, the treble winners are also ideally placed to progress. They will face off against Real Madrid on Wednesday evening with the tie delicately poised. Last week’s game between the two teams finished 3-all at the Bernabeu. The European champions now know a victory at the Etihad Stadium against Carlo Ancelotti’s side will book their place in the semi-final of the competition. Win at home, and they are through. It’s another ideal scenario for Pep Guardiola’s men.

Following the clash with Real Madrid City will face Chelsea in the FA Cup semi-final. A win at Wembley would book their ticket to the final as they bid to win the FA Cup in back to back  seasons. After a hectic season and a heavy workload, Manchester City find themselves in almost their favoured position. Their destiny is in their hands on all three fronts.

Speaking after his team’s 5-1 win over Luton Town on Saturday, Pep Guardiola knows his team will give everything to create history this season. While they are seemingly in an ideal position to chase silverware on all three fronts, the City manager knows it is no guarantee of success. Guardiola said: “They like to play with the pressure. They like to know – dead or alive? That doesn’t mean we are going to do it. But that we will be there till the end? I am pretty sure. Because I know them. I see the faces before the games in the meetings. How they prepare.vThat means win Premier League, Champions League? No. I am not saying that. But that we will compete? That’s for sure.”

Following on from last season’s treble success, if Manchester City could’ve picked the ideal scenario for the final stages of the season, they may have picked the very one that they find themselves in currently. It no guarantee of success as Pep Guardiola has cautioned, but they now have the ideal launching pad in a bid to repeat last season’s treble success. It is all the world champions could’ve asked for at the beginning of the season.