Pep Guardiola convinced Man City will have ‘good season’

Pep Guardiola is convinced Manchester City are set for a good season despite their mixed start to the campaign.

City opened their latest Premier League challenge with a convincing 4-0 demolition of Wolves only to suffer the setback of a 2-0 loss to Tottenham last weekend.

When their last two results at the Club World Cup are taken into account – a comprehensive victory over Juventus and a surprise defeat by Al Hilal – it would appear a pattern of inconsistency is emerging.

Guardiola is not reading too much into that and feels he has seen enough to give him reason for optimism.

Speaking ahead of Sunday’s trip to Brighton, the City manager said: “That (consistency) is the target, but it’s one game at a time. This season has just started, two games.

“Thursday we enjoyed the (draw) for the Champions League, so we’re going to be there in the elite of European football, and after just two games I have the feeling that we will do a good season.

“I know the people maybe don’t believe it, but despite what happened last season, last game or last Sunday, we’re going to do a good season.”

Summer signing Rayan Ait-Nouri is available after overcoming a knock suffered against Spurs.

Guardiola’s main decision is who to play in goal with youngster James Trafford, having retained his place from the opener against Wolves when Ederson was ill, enduring a difficult outing last week.

The City boss must also decide how many minutes to give Rodri after the Ballon d’Or-winning midfielder played the last quarter of an hour against Spurs.

The Spaniard missed most of last season through injury and then suffered a setback on the eve of the new campaign.