'You have to win almost all the games' – Pep Guardiola demands Man City perfection as champions battle to qualify for Champions League after dire season

Pep Guardiola has demanded near-perfection from his Manchester City team as they push for Champions League qualification.

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• Champions currently sit in 6th place
• Top five would guarantee Champions League football next year
• Guardiola managing injury-laden squad

• Table of Contents

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  City have seven games remaining to secure their Champions league spot. The champions currently sit in sixth place, one point behind Chelsea and Newcastle. The Magpies have a game in hand, and Guardiola knows that they can ill-afford any more slip ups.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Guardiola is without a raft of first-choice players. Erling Haaland, John Stones, Nathan Aké and Manuel Akanji are all on the shelve, while the team is still battling for form without Ballon D'or winner Rodri. Phil Foden is also a doubt for Saturday's game with Crystal Palace after limping out of the Manchester Derby with an ankle injury.

• WHAT PEP GUARDIOLA SAID

  Pep Guardiola said: "If you want to be in the Champions League next season and play Tuesday, Wednesday, you have to win almost all the games.

  "Now it’s not very complicated. We don’t have 15, 20 games, now we have seven games left. It’s a final every single game. We have to win a lot of games to qualify, because Newcastle play just one game a week, and the quality of Aston Villa, and all the teams are involved, Chelsea and Nottingham Forest."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR MANCHESTER CITY?

  City have the chance to heap pressure on their rivals, as they take on Crystal Palace in Saturday's early kickoff.