By KBC Associate 
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has voiced his relief at not being in Manchester United’s position nine places below his side in the Premier League.
The Cityzens are in the fifth and final Champions League qualification place before visiting Everton on Saturday (15:00 BST), while United are 17 points back – the same number of points as Ruben Amorim’s team are above the relegation zone.
“We could be in a very, very [much] lower position than we are in the Premier League [when] you have done a few of the things we have done in the last four or five months,” reflected Guardiola, who oversaw nine defeats in 19 league matches between November and March, starting with six losses in eight games.
“We could be 11th, 12th, 13th or 14th. I don’t have any doubts of that. I take it like ‘OK, [we’ve] not been good’, but [qualification is] in our hands.”
“We could be in a much much lower position in the Premier League… we could be 12th or 13th or 14th!”😳🤐
Pep Guardiola thinks his Man City side could be struggling in the league as much as Man United and Spurs are👀😅 pic.twitter.com/txEw5rfM1O
— Hayters TV (@HaytersTV) April 18, 2025
Guardiola: Champions League games ‘nice’
Guardiola said he had “enjoyed” this week’s Champions League quarter-final second legs, calling them “really, really nice games”.
With City knocked out in the league phase play-offs, the Spaniard watched Paris Saint-Germain go through at Aston Villa in a contest he found “fantastic”, while the four-time winner of the competition as a player and coach also described Barcelona’s advancement at Borussia Dortmund “a good game”.
“I miss it, of course,” he added. “This is sport – sometimes you don’t perform well and you don’t deserve to be [there].”
Will Man City be in Champions League?
City have been ever-present in the Champions League since 2011/12 but their prospects of extending that record are in the balance, with Chelsea and Villa a point behind them with six league games remaining.
“Hopefully, next season we can be there and challenge the big, big clubs in Europe better than we have done this season,” said Guardiola, having seen City’s involvement in 2024/25 end with a 6-3 aggregate defeat to Real Madrid.
“It is a motivation. It is not a bad thing to fight to qualify for the Champions League. It’s just six games – we don’t have much time.”
PEP 💬 Phil [Foden] came back Thursday and today’s training session since the action at Old Trafford.
Manu [Akanji], yes, [he’s had] two or three training sessions with us. I see him really well. pic.twitter.com/QiE7no579z
— Manchester City (@ManCity) April 18, 2025
Man City injuries vs Everton
Guardiola said midfielder Phil Foden had been “moving well” in training after collecting a knock in City’s 5-2 comeback home win over Crystal Palace last Saturday.
Ederson is out with an injury sustained during that game and Guardiola does not know when the goalkeeper will return to contention.
Midfielder Rodri remains out, while defenders John Stones and Nathan Ake are “getting better” but “not yet” ready, according to their manager.
Top scorer Erling Haaland is yet to resume training following a foot injury. Guardiola said the striker’s return will not be in “the next games”.
Pep Guardiola says goalkeeper Ederson will miss tomorrow’s game at Everton and Erling Haaland remains out with an ankle injury 🚨 pic.twitter.com/B0cQJol2TL
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) April 18, 2025
Everton vs Man City
Everton recorded one of the best results of their campaign last Saturday, winning 1-0 at Nottingham Forest, who are two points above City.
The Toffees’ only defeat in their last 12 league matches was at leaders Liverpool, although five of their last seven have been draws.
Everton have not won the fixture in their last 16 attempts but Haaland is the only player to have scored away for City in the league since their win at doomed Ipswich Town on January 19.
Egypt striker Marmoush is awaiting his first league away goal but has four goals and an assist in his last five appearances and struck the winner at Bournemouth in the FA Cup quarter-finals.
PEP 💬 Goodison Park is so special, like old traditional stadiums in England from the past.
[You] go to Fulham, Villa Park, you feel the special atmosphere. [It’s a] a nice place to go, a difficult one of course but nice. pic.twitter.com/OHkpYVkPTV
— Manchester City (@ManCity) April 18, 2025
Goodison Park ‘difficult’ for Manchester City
City will visit Everton’s Goodison Park for the final time before their opponents move to their new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock.
“[It] is so special, like many of the old traditional stadiums in England from the past,” Guardiola said of Everton’s home since 1892.
“Go to Fulham, Villa Park – you feel the special atmosphere. It’s a nice place to go – difficult, but nice. The clubs grow and I’m pretty sure the new stadium will be be more comfortable.”