The Manchester City coach appeared in a press statement after the 3-0 victory over West Ham United in the seventeenth round of the English Premier League.

The coach said in his speech: "I told the players: Merry Christmas to everyone, but that won't be enough if we don't improve."

He added: "I always thank Haaland for the goals, of course, but our defense is improving, and I think we can see that clearly. As for the ball, we are far ahead."

He emphasized: "We need to improve our ball handling, otherwise it won't be enough to reach March and April, when we compete for titles. Our attacking style depends on the opponents' defensive approach. We must be in the right positions to make it smoother, and today we were not."

He explained: "If West Ham had scored a goal to make it 2-1, they would have scored the equalizer to make it 2-2 – I swear! Believe me, I'm not a magician to know the future or the past, but that's what would have happened."

Regarding his conversation with Guardiola after the match, he said: "We talked about Croatia and the holiday. I will visit my 94-year-old father at Christmas for a few days, and then I will go to Croatia, to some beaches... That's why I asked him, 'Where should I go?' I'm lying, this didn't happen... but what we talked about isn't important."

He pointed out: "Do you have a chance to compete for the title? Yes, we will be there. If the players follow my instructions, we will be there, but we need to improve. The spirit, fighting spirit, and hunger are there, and we need that. It's not about flashy moves, but about the next step... We hope to be better with Rodri's return."

He concluded: "I cannot deny that I am happy with the team's position in the league and the Champions League, and that we are also in the cup semi-finals... but I was honest with the players and told them that this level is not enough."