Pep Guardiola 'happy and positive' about Man City's rebuild

Entering the 2025/26 campaign, it was widely accepted that City would require time to knit together a refreshed squad, and the early months have reflected that reality.

There have been flashes of the fluid, incisive football Guardiola demands, offering supporters brief glimpses of what this new-look team could eventually become once fully settled.

Yet there have also been moments that underline how far City still are from reaching the manager's full tactical vision, with inconsistency at times halting their rhythm.

Speaking ahead of City's Premier League clash with Sunderland, Guardiola maintained a positive tone. He expressed satisfaction with the progress his players have made, highlighting their growing understanding and improved cohesion as reasons for optimism.

However, the Catalan stressed that development must now be matched by greater consistency. Guardiola said it was time for his side to "step up a gear", starting with the meeting against newly promoted Sunderland, a fixture he believes provides an important opportunity to show further improvement.

"Yes. Always I try to see how the team is developing, and I want to feel that we are getting better."

"Of course, being close to top of the Premier League and the Champions League - take away the Bayer Leverkusen result and we'd be in a perfect position - but now it is a little bit more difficult."

"I said from the beginning, I'm happy and positive and I think the team will do well. Everything is judged immediately. There is no time for training or to reflect a little."

"The external situation like everything is chaos and a disaster [if we lose] or we are doing well and are candidates to win everything."

"It's not going to change - we have to - it's our duty to try to do it."