Guardiola praises City’s growing resilience as title chase intensifies

December 15, 2025 Oliver Obel

Manchester City’s trip to Selhurst Park had the feel of a potential stumble a congested week, a hostile crowd, and an opponent that has troubled them before.

Instead, City left with a 3–0 win that felt, in Pep Guardiola’s eyes, like another small confirmation that his side are rediscovering the hardness required to stay in a title race that shows no sign of easing.

The Guardian’s match report noted that City approached the evening carrying the fatigue of their midweek draw with Real Madrid. But as the game unfolded, the champions looked increasingly assured, a shift from the wobble they experienced at the end of November when consecutive defeats briefly unsettled them.

A mentality Guardiola recognises

Speaking to reporters afterward comments relayed by The Guardian Guardiola reflected on how supporters often remember previous title-winning seasons as seamless runs, even though they were built on awkward, grinding matches similar to this one.

“From experience when you win in the past you believe the past is always perfect – brilliant, red carpets,” he said, before pointing out that those campaigns also required a willingness to push through tight spells.

On the recent trip to Madrid, he admitted the display “was not perfect” but stressed that the commitment his players showed was what mattered. City’s current league position, he added, places them closer to the summit than at this point last season something he sees as encouragement rather than pressure.

When City finally clicked

According to The Guardian, Palace opened with real energy, pinning City back and forcing the back line into a series of hurried clearances. But the match swung once Erling Haaland rose to meet a looping ball and headed City in front. The goal seemed to drain tension from Guardiola’s side; Phil Foden’s crisp finish early in the second half confirmed the shift.

Haaland later added a penalty his 17th league goal of the campaign though what pleased Guardiola most was how his team handled Palace’s early surge. He singled out Rúben Dias for his authority at the back, calling attention not just to his positioning but to the way he organises those around him.

Dias at the centre of it

“The pace and composure for both full-backs, the leadership from Rúben,” Guardiola said, as quoted by The Guardian. He described Dias as “an incredible leader,” praising the defender’s preparation habits and the vocal demands he makes of teammates. The manager suggested that Dias’s influence is now woven into the club’s long-term spine.

Palace manager Oliver Glasner, meanwhile, felt the scoreline disguised elements of his team’s performance. “The result doesn’t reflect the performance,” he said in remarks reported by The Guardian. He argued that City were simply more efficient in the decisive areas a gap Palace must narrow against elite opposition.

With Arsenal still setting the pace at the top, City’s margin for error remains tight. But on nights like this, Guardiola appeared more encouraged by the manner of the victory than the margin.

Sources: The Guardian