Manchester City face a tougher road ahead as injuries challenge their bid to replicate past successes, manager Pep Guardiola acknowledged before Tuesday’s Champions League match against Sporting.
The Premier League champions, dealing with injuries to several key players, recently saw their impressive 32-match unbeaten league streak snapped by a loss at Bournemouth, following a midweek defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in the League Cup fourth round.
Guardiola admitted on Monday that while he understands the high expectations for his team, he anticipates that injuries and the rising quality of their opponents will lead to more setbacks this season.
"I know our standards, but we've lost just one game. Maybe we are going to lose again in the Premier League against Brighton, Tottenham and Liverpool," Guardiola told reporters, referring to their next three Premier League games.
"We are just two points behind Liverpool, who are a top-class team ... We've started well in the Champions League, but I know people expect us to win 38 league games and win the treble every season as these are our standards.
"The reason it is difficult is that we have had a lot of absentees, which can happen in some seasons.
"Sometimes, to win the treble, everything has to be on the same page with injuries, but this is not possible this time ... The teams are very strong, and everything is more difficult, and we have to accept that. That is the challenge."
City will be without Ballon d'Or winner Rodri and Oscar Bobb for most of the campaign, while John Stones, Jack Grealish and Ruben Dias remain sidelined and did not travel to Portugal.
Manuel Akanji, Nathan Ake and Kyle Walker still have problems despite being in the squad, Guardiola said, and Kevin De Bruyne and Savinho are improving, while Erling Haaland is fit.
City, third in the Champions League standings after two wins and a draw, is looking for a third consecutive European win at Portuguese champions Sporting, who are eighth but also have seven points and are unbeaten across all competitions this season.
Guardiola's City side claimed a resounding 5-0 win at Sporting in the 2022 Champions League last 16.
"They play quite similarly to how we faced two seasons ago; the pattern is so clear," Guardiola added.
"They have changed players but have the same manager and mentality," he said, referring to Sporting boss Ruben Amorim, who will take over at Manchester United next week.
