So important – Pep Guardiola delighted by late winner against Aston Villa | OneFootball

Sign up to Miguel Delaney’s Reading the Game newsletter sent straight to your inbox for free

Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter

Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter

Email*

SIGN UP

I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola described the win as “important” while stressing the need to keep calm and carry on after his side secured a dramatic 2-1 victory over Aston Villa to boost their Champions League hopes.

Matheus Nunes struck a dramatic winner in the fourth minute of stoppage time at the Etihad Stadium, where Bernardo Silva’s early opener for City had been swiftly cancelled out by Marcus Rashford’s penalty.

The result saw City move up two places in the Premier League table to third with four games to play, with Unai Enery’s Villa left two points outside the top five in seventh.

Asked how big a win it had been, Guardiola – whose side face Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup semi-finals on Sunday, a day after Villa play Crystal Palace in the other last-four tie – told a press conference: “If we win the next four games, it has been so important.

“Of course, it’s important. We don’t have to be a scientist to realise that we play against Aston Villa, one of the best teams. We saw the games against Newcastle and (Paris St Germain), the top form, the quality, the manager, everything. It’s an extraordinary team.

“But we performed like we were in the past, the commitment, we concede not much. We didn’t create much either, but we controlled most of the game. The back four, again, had been amazing. All the players.

“In terms of qualification for the Champions League, for the points, it’s important. But at the same time, we have to be calm and focus on the semi-final, and after, we have days to prepare the four ‘finals’ – two games are home, two away, and game by game.

“Important is we have (it) in our hands – if we win the three, four games, we will be there.”

In the build-up to the game, Guardiola had referred to the remaining five league matches as “finals”, with City to follow the Villa game by hosting Wolves and Bournemouth either side of playing at Southampton, before concluding their top-flight campaign at Fulham.