'Outstanding' - Pep Guardiola's Newcastle United prediction comes true amid Man City Champions League battle

City’s 2-1 win over Aston Villa on Tuesday night saw them move up to third in the Premier League table with four games left to play. They also have an FA Cup semi-final coming up against Nottingham Forest this Sunday (4:30pm kick-off) as they look to avoid a first season without a trophy since 2016-17 - Guardiola’s first campaign in charge.

Man City have won six of the last seven Premier League titles but look set to miss out to Liverpool this season having struggled for consistency for large parts of the campaign.

Still, Guardiola’s side are on course to qualify for the Champions League as things stand, though they face stiff competition from the likes of Nottingham Forest, Villa, Chelsea and Newcastle United.

Pep Guardiola reflects on ‘bad’ 2024-25 season for Manchester City

Speaking after the win against Aston Villa, Guardiola said: “This season has been bad. The reality is that we’re determined. What makes you feel this season is good is the Premier League, not the Champions League or the FA Cup.

“It’s the consistency in the Premier League, which we have not been. But it happens. Sometimes you have bad seasons for many reasons. Until the end, we try to avoid the damage.”

But Guardiola also recognised the ‘outstanding’ competition his side faces when it comes to qualifying for the Champions League. City haven’t missed out on Champions League football since finishing fifth in the 2009-10 season.

As it happens, a fifth-place finish would be enough to secure Champions League qualification this time around due to new UEFA coefficient rules introduced last season.

“We can qualify for the Champions League,” Guardiola said. “Look at the teams. Liverpool will be champions. Arsenal, what can I say?

“But the other ones. Chelsea, Aston Villa, Newcastle, ourselves and Nottingham Forest. The level of those teams is outstanding.”

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Pep Guardiola predicted Newcastle United bounce-back this season

Newcastle finished seventh and missed out on Europe last season after Manchester City lost to Manchester United in the FA Cup final. The Magpies struggled for consistency at times last season as they suffered numerous injury setbacks while spending the first half of the season competing in the Champions League and Carabao Cup alongside the Premier League.

Speaking last season, Guardiola backed Newcastle to ‘take lessons’ and bounce back from an ultimately disappointing 2023-24 campaign.

“I’m sure they’ll take lessons because the potential is there,” he said about Newcastle’s European ambitions. “Last season [2022-23] was unbelievable, but they played one game a week. This season [2023-24] they’ve played a lot, and it’s completely different.

“When you have experience, you can handle the training and the minutes. I’m pretty sure [in 2024-25] they will learn the lessons and take decisions to try and still be [competing for the Champions League places].”

This season has seen Newcastle win the Carabao Cup while also competing for the Champions League places once again without European football as a distraction. Next season is guaranteed to be different with The Magpies’ Carabao Cup win guaranteeing at least a Conference League place though Europa League or Champions League football seems more realistic based on the current Premier League standings.

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