Secret of Man City's recent success? Pep claims it's up in the sky
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Reading Time: 2min | Mon. 13.04.26. | 17:45
Joking or not, Guardiola says it's the sun to thank for the latest winning streak
When the sun shines, City shine brighter.
Pep Guardiola had a simple, and surprisingly cheerful, explanation for Manchester City's springtime surge.
The sun. No, really.
“¿Por qué el City en Abril suele ser más determinante?”
— Mando Sanabria Roa (@MandoSanabria_) April 12, 2026
Pep responde “porque tenemos sol, estamos más contentos y reímos más”.
Parecerá una tontería, pero la importancia de que el jugador se sienta feliz en el club y en la ciudad impacta una barbaridad. pic.twitter.com/Hi8rDI8gVZ
After watching his side shake off a sluggish first half to dismantle Chelsea 3-0 at Stamford Bridge on the weekend, Guardiola pointed not to tactics, tweaks, or team talks, but to the sky above Manchester.
"I'm not joking. The sun," he smiled during a postgame interview. "In Manchester, there is never the sun. If it came in November, we'd be champions by January."
It might sound like classic Pep mischief, but the timing is no coincidence.
City, flat and uninspired before the break, emerged after half-time with a completely different energy. Nico O'Reilly broke the deadlock before further strikes from Marc Guehi and Jeremy Doku completed the turnaround.
From shadows to spotlight - in 45 minutes.
The win, coupled with Arsenal's stumble against Bournemouth, has reignited the title race. City now sit six points behind with a game in hand, and a direct showdown looming on Sunday.
Momentum, suddenly, wears sky blue.
"At this stage, it's not about tactics," Guardiola insisted. "It's about mindset. The second half was extraordinary because we had it."
Still, the City boss was quick to temper the optimism. Chasing down Mikel Arteta's side will be anything but straightforward, even if recent history suggests otherwise.
"Was there one person who bet on us in the League Cup final?" Guardiola asked. "Not even £1. We were underdogs - perfect. Now, it's different. We have to respect Arsenal."
ENGLAND PREMIER LEAGUE ROUND 32
Friday
West Ham - Wolverhampton 4-0 (1-0)
/Mavropanos 42, 83, Castellanos 66, 68/
Saturday
Arsenal - Bournemouth 1-2 (1-1)
/Gyokeres 35 pen - Kroupi 17, Scott 74/
Brentford - Everton 2-2 (1-1)
/Thiago 3 pen, 76 - Beto 26, Dewsburry-Hall 90+1/
Burnley - Brighton 0-2 (0-1)
/Wieffer 43, 89/
Liverpool - Fulham 2-0 (2-0)
/Ngumoha 36, Salah 40/
Sunday
Crystal Palace - Newcastle 2-1 (0-1)
/Mateta 80, 90+4 pen - Osula 43/
Nottingham Forest - Aston Villa 1-1 (1-1)
/Williams 38 - Murillo 23 og/
Sunderland - Tottenham 1-0 (0-0)
/Mukiele 61/
Chelsea - Manchester City 0-3 (0-0)
/O'Reilly 51, Guehi 57, Doku 68/
Monday
22.00: (1.65) Man.Utd. (4.10) Leeds (5.10)
***odds are subject to change***