This is NOT the old Manchester City! Pep Guardiola CRITICAL of team despite thrashing West Ham | OneFootball

Pep Guardiola rejected claims that his Manchester City side looked more like their old selves after thrashing West Ham 4-1 to secure back-to-back victories.

An own goal from Vladimir Coufal gave City an early lead before a double from Erling Haaland and Phil Foden strike gave Guardiola’s side victory.

But the City boss was quick to insist that his team are still a long way off compared with the level of previous seasons.

“No, you judge the results,” Guardiola said when asked if his side were back to the City of old.

“We’ve seen over eight years, our level. We are not at our level.

“We won, we are so happy, it will help us. You judge results. Our performance was not good.

“When we play good, we know. I’m so happy for the guys. We work and we work.

“But we were lucky. In the first minutes we deserved to be 1-0 or 2-0 down. We were lucky in the first goal.

“We are a strong team when we run a lot with the ball and are composed, but now we don’t have it.

“Of course I’m very pleased for the result but you cannot ask me if the old Manchester City is back. If you see the game, it’s not.”

Guardiola went on to criticise his team for their failure to keep the ball well enough against West Ham, adding: “We don’t pass the ball, that’s why we suffer, and we lose the ball so easy. That’s why they can run.

“If you drop them, pass the ball. How many times did we go back, then left, then right. No.

“We need to find our tempo.

“I’m so happy, I will sleep better in the next days, but you ask me if the old Manchester City and the way we play is back. No. You have to know it.

“You were here watching our games for many, many years. It’s not that level, come on.”