Guardiola had no doubts how City players would react to Norwich upset

Pep Guardiola insists he had no doubts his Manchester City players would respond after last weeks surprise defeat at Norwich.The back-to-back Premier League champions were stunned by the promoted Canaries at Carrow Road but bounced back by sweeping aside Shakhtar Donetsk 3-0 in their Champions League opener in Ukraine.After what happened in the last (three) years, I didnt have doubts, said the City manager, whose side host struggling Watford on Saturday. The result was good but the performance was even better.Manchester City bounced back from their defeat to Norwich with victory over Shakhtar Donetsk (Efrem Lukatsky/AP)Of course we can lose. We know before every game we can lose, even tomorrow. We have to have that feeling.But when we lose one Premier League game in eight months, why should we have doubts?Sometimes the opponent is better or more precise, or sometimes they do something we dont expect or we dont have the best performance.Manchester City suffered their first league defeat since January at Carrow Road last weekend (Joe Giddens/PA)But I didnt have doubts after one defeat what the reaction of the team would be because theyve shown it many times in many years.City, who trail Premier League leaders Liverpool by five points after five games, will hope to get back to winning ways in the league when they welcome bottom side Watford to the Etihad Stadium.Guardiolas side thrashed the Hornets 6-0 to clinch the treble in last seasons FA Cup final but the Spaniard insists that counts for nothing new.Manchester City thrashed Watford in last seasons FA Cup final (Mike Egerton/PA)Watford sacked manager Javi Gracia earlier this month and, under new boss Quique Sanchez Flores, recovered from 2-0 down to draw with Arsenal last week.Guardiola said: It was the last game in the season. We played knowing we could be part of something unique in English football history never has a team done four titles in one season, especially the three important domestic trophies.We had a few problems in the beginning from one or two counter-attacks but after we scored we were more relaxed. Now its completely different. It is the beginning of a new season, theyve changed their manager. I saw the game against Arsenal and wow the second half was incredible, the way they played.Fernandinho is likely to remain in central defence after stepping in against Shakhtar following injury to John Stones, who joined Aymeric Laporte on the sidelines this week.City have limited alternatives. Guardiola has hinted that Rodri or Kyle Walker could switch positions but untested teenagers Eric Garcia and Taylor Harwood-Bellis are the only other specialists available.He looked right at home in the back four last night, didn't he? #ManCity pic.twitter.com/C63rUHr7d5 Manchester City (@ManCity) September 19, 2019It means City could be stretched in the coming weeks but Guardiola refuses to complain.Its not a problem its a challenge, he said. I dont take this situation as a problem. It is what it is and we have to accept it and handle it.(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){i['GoogleAnalyticsObject']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){

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