Pep Guardiola has said he is not concerned about a “little record” as Manchester City face Celtic in the Champions League on Wednesday night. His side have won all 10 games this season and if they prevail at Celtic Park in the Group C game they will equal Tottenham’s record-setting 11 successive wins at the start of the 1960-61 season.
Guardiola does not care about records, he is only interested in adding another victory to the 4-0 defeat of Borussia Mönchengladbach in their opening group game.
Guardiola, who confirmed Kevin De Bruyne, Vincent Kompany and Fabian Delph will miss out, said: “Wins help to win more. Confidence is a real aspect to the way we play but every game is hard. Tomorrow I am not concerned or focused on a little, little record.
“In the future an English team will win 12-13 games in a row, that is going to happen. What I want tomorrow is to play well. I want to continue with what we have done in the last months, continue to do the things we have done really well and improve on the aspects we have to improve on to win the game.
“Football is a process and my happiness as coach is to see the team getting better. Maybe small steps but getting better. That is what I want to see tomorrow.”
Guardiola played down the importance of Celtic’s 7-0 defeat at Barcelona two weeks ago, saying: “Many teams suffer what happened in Barcelona. Seven goals is a lot of goals but Barcelona start quick and after, mentally, the players are upset with what happened. But tomorrow they will be focused.”
Brendan Rodgers is under no illusions as to the task Celtic face on Wednesday, especially after that defeat at Barcelona. Rodgers, who confirmed Craig Gordon would take over in goal from Dorus de Vries who is still not fit after having to go off at half-time in the 6-1 win against Kilmarnock at the weekend, said: “It is really exciting but Man City are a top team, everyone can see that clearly. They have that world-class ability, great individuals who are working hard.
“We know we have to bring our A game to have any chance and that is something hopefully we can do. The reality is if they bring their A game and we bring ours, they win. But we know we have to make it as uncomfortable as we can for them.
Rodgers is hoping Raheem Sterling, who has rediscovered his form since Guardiola arrived in the summer, has an off night. He gave the winger his debut at Liverpool at the age of 17 and Sterling went on to move to City in 2015 for a deal reportedly worth £49m.
“I have been so proud to watch him this season to the level that he has been at,” Rodgers said. “I am absolutely delighted for him. He was a great boy to work with. I think back to the time he was a young kid at Liverpool and to see him grow from that 17-year-old who made his first start, funny enough, against Manchester City at Anfield, not only as a player but as a person over three seasons.”
Asked how he could be stopped, Rodgers replied: “You can’t kick him that’s for sure, because he is very strong, one of the strongest young guys you will come across, although he maybe doesn’t look it. He gets a wee bit of stick when he travels to games, which I still don’t understand why. He is a great boy as well. He always wanted to train every day. He never had a lazy day, wanted to improve, wanted to get better and gave his all for Liverpool when I was there.”
Rodgers also explained why Gordon will play in goal: “Craig Gordon will start tomorrow. I pick the team to come in and play. Dorus isn’t 100%. Dorus trained yesterday and trained today. He is still a bit sore but he is fine. There is no need to take any risk in a game like this when I have an outstanding goalkeeper beside him, so Craig will play.”
