Mauricio
Pochettino has hailed Manchester City as the 'best team in the world', but
adds Chelsea will not be underdogs in their Super Sunday clash as Pep
Guardiola says 'sooner or later' the Blues will be title contenders.
Both teams head into the game in contrasting places. Man City are top of the
Premier League, winning nine of their 11 matches this season.
Chelsea have struggled to find their form under Pochettino, currently 10th
with 15 points from 11 games. However, they registered a morale-boosting 4-1
win against Tottenham on Monday Night Football.
Many will have Man City as favourites when they travel to Stamford Bridge,
live on Super Sunday, but Pochettino insists the Blues will not have an
underdog mentality heading into a tricky fixture.
"For me, Man City is the best team, the best coaching staff, the best
manager, it is the best or one of the best organisations in the world," he
said.
"Because when you show the results you are showing, it's because you are
doing things top to bottom really well. We need to give credit for the
organisation at Manchester City.
"It's going to be a challenge. We want to compete against them, we know it
is going to be tough. What we want is to take three points, which are
important for us.
"Chelsea is never the feeling of underdog. You are Chelsea, it's impossible.
The history is there. We cannot go and say we are the big team of the day,
we need to go there and try and be protagonists with our personality, our
character.
"On Monday, to go to Tottenham and finish the game 4-1 and win the game
showed we have character and talent to compete and fight with the best clubs
in England.
"Now we have to build that confidence which for sure will help us to be more
competitive."
Man City will once again be aiming for multiple trophies this season, having
won the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League in a historic treble.
When asked for his thoughts on the dominance of one team, Pochettino
replied: "It's the reality. I don't know if it's good or bad. They have
shown that they dominate English football because they deserve it.
"They are the team you want to beat because you want to challenge because
they are showing great quality.
"All of the other teams try to compete with them. But they are doing the
things really well and they are ahead of us. It's going to be our objective
in the future to be ahead and dominate in the Premier League.
"Now we need to be clever, be smart and try to challenge and try to be in
the place they are now. We are all fighting to take their place."
Guardiola: Sooner or later, Chelsea will
be contenders
Despite their ups and downs this season, Guardiola believes it is only a
matter of time until Chelsea once again challenge for the Premier League
title.
He said: "They [Chelsea] are getting better, every manager needs time. New
club, new players, but sooner or later they will be a contender as the
qualities in all the departments are there.
"Chelsea are one of the most important teams in England, in that period they
won the Champions League with Thomas Tuchel against us.
"It's one of the strongest teams, no doubts about that. They are alive, good
spirit, aggressive, good patterns, it's one of the toughest games we have in
the season.
"But at the same time, we go there optimistic with what I have seen, the
training and mood of the team. We are top of the league right now and this
is what we have to try and maintain the quality of the game.
"But sooner or later Chelsea will be fighting for the title, no doubt about
that."
Man City will face two players they know well too - Raheem Sterling spent
seven years at the club, winning ten major trophies. Man City academy
graduate Cole Palmer left the club for Chelsea in the summer too.
Speaking about former players, Guardiola added: "He [Raheem Sterling] is
playing really good, he is back in his best moments from what I have seen
lately.
"He always creates incredible danger for the opposition, like he has done
for us here for many, many years, he was part of the big success we had in
the early years together, Raheem was really, really important.
"Really pleased [for Cole Palmer]. The reason why [he left] was that, he
wanted game time - he has it, so congratulations. He is a guy who came from
the academy, the reason he is having success is because he is good, and I
wish him success.
"Congratulations to Chelsea and him."
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