Michael Owen Mocks EPL Title Contenders After Pep Guardiola Signs New Deal

Former England international Michael Owen said Pep Guardiola signing a contract extension with Manchester City represents the “worst possible news” for clubs aspiring to compete for the Premier League title.

Pep Guardiola’s tenure, which began in 2016, has seen him achieve remarkable success, guiding City to six Premier League titles. Notably, he has led the team to an unprecedented four consecutive titles, a record that no other club has accomplished in the history of English football.

As the current season unfolds, City has started on a less-than-ideal note, currently sitting in second place in the league, trailing five points behind early leaders, Liverpool.

Despite this shaky start, Owen is firm in his belief that Guardiola’s continued presence poses a significant threat to any team harbouring dreams of dethroning the reigning champions.

He took to social media platform X to voice his opinion, stating, “The worst possible news for teams with aspirations of winning The Premier League – Pep Guardiola has signed a contract extension.”

Meanwhile, another football legend, Alan Shearer, has cautioned Pep Guardiola about the challenges he faces given that several members of his squad are potentially in “natural decline.”

The announcement of Guardiola’s contract extension with the Premier League champions was confirmed on Thursday night, but Shearer believes that the 53-year-old manager has substantial work ahead in reshaping an ageing squad.

Despite Guardiola’s impressive record, which includes not only six Premier League titles but also securing the club’s first-ever Champions League title, Shearer points to a concerning trend among key players.

He noted that several prominent squad members, including Kevin De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva, Mateo Kovacic, Ilkay Gundogan, Kyle Walker, Ederson, and John Stones, are all over 30 years old. This ageing core could hinder the team’s performance in the future.

“Looking through their current squad, you’ve got a significant number of players who could be considered in a state of natural decline”, Shearer told BetFair.

As City navigate these challenges, the football world will be watching closely to see how Guardiola adapts his strategies and manages his squad to maintain the club’s dominance in English football.