Ange: New UCL format makes transfers harder​​

Manchester City are at risk of missing out on next season’s Champions League due to their recent dip in form, manager Pep Guardiola said.

City, who are looking to qualify for Europe’s top club competition for a 15th straight season, have won just one of their last eight Premier League games and are seventh, 12 points behind leaders Liverpool.

Guardiola’s side are four points behind Nottingham Forest, who occupy the fourth and final Champions League qualification berth.

“When I said before, people laughed. They said, ‘qualifying for the Champions League is not a big success’. But I know it because it happens with clubs in this country,” Guardiola told reporters ahead of their home match against Everton.

“They were dominant for many years and after they were many years not qualifying for the Champions League. The one team that has been in the Champions League for the past years has been Manchester City. Now we are at risk, of course we are.”

After hosting Everton later on Thursday City travel to face Leicester City on Dec. 29.

Manchester City are at risk of missing out on next season’s Champions League due to their recent dip in form, manager Pep Guardiola said.

City, who are looking to qualify for Europe’s top club competition for a 15th straight season, have won just one of their last eight Premier League games and are seventh, 12 points behind leaders Liverpool.

Guardiola’s side are four points behind Nottingham Forest, who occupy the fourth and final Champions League qualification berth.

“When I said before, people laughed. They said, ‘qualifying for the Champions League is not a big success’. But I know it because it happens with clubs in this country,” Guardiola told reporters ahead of their home match against Everton.

“They were dominant for many years and after they were many years not qualifying for the Champions League. The one team that has been in the Champions League for the past years has been Manchester City. Now we are at risk, of course we are.”

After hosting Everton later on Thursday City travel to face Leicester City on Dec. 29.

Manchester City are at risk of missing out on next season’s Champions League due to their recent dip in form, manager Pep Guardiola said.

City, who are looking to qualify for Europe’s top club competition for a 15th straight season, have won just one of their last eight Premier League games and are seventh, 12 points behind leaders Liverpool.

Guardiola’s side are four points behind Nottingham Forest, who occupy the fourth and final Champions League qualification berth.

“When I said before, people laughed. They said, ‘qualifying for the Champions League is not a big success’. But I know it because it happens with clubs in this country,” Guardiola told reporters ahead of their home match against Everton.

“They were dominant for many years and after they were many years not qualifying for the Champions League. The one team that has been in the Champions League for the past years has been Manchester City. Now we are at risk, of course we are.”

After hosting Everton later on Thursday City travel to face Leicester City on Dec. 29.

Ruben Amorim has warned Marcus Rashford that he will remain exiled until he begins to meet the standards expected of a Manchester United player.

Rashford has been dropped from the squad for the last three games against Manchester City, Tottenham and Bournemouth.

Amorim has suggested his omission is down to performances in training rather than the interview in which Rashford said he wants to leave the club, and the United head coach said he’s happy to leave the 27-year-old on the sidelines until the issue is rectified.

“When I feel that it is the right moment I will change something until then I will continue to think about what is the best for the team,” Amorim said when asked about Rashford’s situation.

“I speak with him every day, not about the interview but about the performance.

“It’s my decision. He wants to play. He is trying. It’s my decision, only my decision. I’m trying to do things my way. And it’s the only way I know if I don’t do that I will lose myself and I will not lose myself. I know what I’m doing.”

After back-to-back defeats to Tottenham and Bournemouth, United face Wolves on Boxing Day.

Asked what Rashford needs to do before being considered for a return at Molineux, Amorim said: “Be the best that he can be.

“If you have big talents, big performance, big responsibility, big engagement, push forward everybody in this moment. And some guys have a big responsibility here because they are here for a long time. So this is maybe one of the lowest moments in our club. So we have to face it and be strong in this moment. That’s what I want for every player on the team.”

Amorim’s news conferences have been dominated by questions about Rashford since he was axed from the squad for the Manchester derby.

But he insists the England forward is not becoming a distraction, particularly because players and staff “understand” his stance.

“It’s not [a distraction] for me,” said Amorim.

‘Not for the other players because everybody is there every day during training, they understand. That is the key point. For the media and for the other people I cannot control that.

“But I’m really focused and they know, I’m so clear in my message, everybody in Carrington knows what I’m talking about and what I want from Marcus and everybody else. So it’s not a distraction for us, maybe it’s for the media but that is not my concern.”