Pep Guardiola has said Manchester City's next three games could define their season.

City face Crystal Palace in the Premier League, RB Leipzig in the Champions League and Burnley in the FA Cup in the space of eight days before the international break and Guardiola said he believes it would be a critical run of matches.

Guardiola's team are chasing Arsenal at the top of the table and could yet end the campaign with a treble.

"We have two days off because it is necessary we don't see each other for a while and before the international break we have three games against Crystal Palace, Leipzig and Burnley in three competitions," Guardiola said after the 2-0 win over Newcastle United on Saturday.

"It will define what we can do for the rest of the season."

City stretched their unbeaten run in all competitions to seven games with victory over Newcastle, secured thanks to goals from Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva.

Foden has recovered from a dip in form after the World Cup to score four goals in his last three games and two in two in the league. Goalkeeper Ederson, meanwhile, kept his 100th clean sheet in the Premier League.

"It was a really, really difficult game," Guardiola said.

"We knew it, with the quality they have it is a threat and they will be a threat for the next five years because they have many good things. They control the ball well in transition, set-pieces.

"But yes, a really good game, we defended really well. The solidarity between the two sides was amazing. We had our moments, they had their moments, but in the end the big actions for the two goals made the difference."

Source:
courtesy of ESPN

by Rob Dawson

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