Pep urges City players to prove critics wrong

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola urged his players to prove their critics wrong as they came from behind to secure a 2-1 victory at Luton Town on Sunday.

Luton scored with an Elijah Adebayo header just before half-time, but City hit back with two goals three minutes apart from Bernardo Silva and Jack Grealish to move back to within four points of Premier League leaders Liverpool.

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“They don't need to prove to me what they are capable of,” Guardiola said in a post-match press conference. “It’s an extraordinary group of players and characters. But the competition and demand will prove it once again.

“In general it's normal. 'Yeah, City isn't the same, City is over.' It's good. Let them prove them wrong. We want to compete, I want to be there. It's so good. I've said it before, we need it.”

The result allowed City to end a four-game winless streak that threatened to derail their season as the three-time reigning winners chase an unprecedented fourth consecutive Premier League title.

A half-time upset looked possible when City found themselves a goal ahead despite a dominant, if unthreatening, first-half performance, and Guardiola revealed how he motivated his team in the dressing room .

“I told them: 'What should we do? Feel sorry for ourselves? We don't have to feel sorry for ourselves. That's football. It happens,” Guardiola said.

“Now what should we do? Play the game? Complain to ourselves? Forwards, be more aggressive, score goals. Defend the center better in the last minute and be positive. We need to demand more from ourselves- same.

“Great characters and great teams – like this team – that define a team. When we won games 4-0, won 15, 16, 17, 18 games in a row, that doesn't define who we really are. “