Pep Guardiola will remind his Manchester City players how good they are and inform them what is required to defeat West Ham on Sunday and ensure a historic fourth consecutive title.
City start the final day two points ahead of Arsenal, who are at home to Everton. Guardiola said he planned to inspire his players during their preparation on Friday. “There is something that belongs to us – I’m going to show them how good they are and what they have to do,” the manager said. “As simple as that.”
Guardiola, who declined to elaborate when asked whether that would involve a video, warned that David Moyes would be determined to bow out on a high in his final match as West Ham’s manager.
Phil Foden has been voted the Premier League's player of the season, the league announced on Saturday after the 23-year-old had the best campaign of his career to help put Manchester City within reach of their fourth consecutive league title.
Foden has scored 17 goals and grabbed eight assists in 34 league games this season playing centrally as well as on the wing when needed. He has 25 goals and 11 assists in all competitions.
Heading into the final day of the season, City are two points ahead of Arsenal and should Pep Guardiola's side lift the title, Foden will become the youngest player ever to have won six Premier League trophies.
"I am extremely proud," Foden said. "It is a pleasure to have been nominated with so many other great players who have all enjoyed special seasons.
"I've been very happy with the way I have played this season and really pleased that I have been able to contribute with the goals and assists throughout the season."
Foden topped an eight-man shortlist which also included Erling Haaland, Alexander Isak, Martin Ødegaard, Cole Palmer, Declan Rice, Virgil van Dijk and Ollie Watkins.
City players have now won the award five years in a row as Foden joins Rúben Dias, Haaland and the two-time winner Kevin de Bruyne in winning the prize. The last player not from City to win the award was Liverpool's Van Dijk in the 2018-19 season.
The England international Foden also won the Football Writers' Association's player of the year award earlier this month. Reuters
He sees parallels with previous final-day title deciders when City were heading for defeat but won in dramatic fashion to secure top spot. Two seasons ago City went 2-0 down against Aston Villa and in 2012 they trailed to QPR before stoppage-time goals from Edin Dzeko and Sergio Agüero.
“He will do everything to beat us,” Guardiola said of Moyes. “[The same as] what happened against Aston Villa and QPR with the Sergio Agüero moment and the Dzeko moment.“I’m ready for a tough, tough game. The 11 players of West Ham will be ready to beat us. That happened with Aston Villa in the same position and didn’t have anything to play for two seasons ago and I know what happened. It’s going to happen the same.
“Ourselves and our people [fans] have to be ready from the first minute to support from the first minute and be with us to do it together. There is not any contamination in my brain thinking about anything else other than what we have to do to win against West Ham.”
Kevin De Bruyne faces a fitness test.
