Update: ‘Don’t wait’ – Pep Guardiola calls on Man City fans ahead of Aston Villa protest News

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola spoke about the need for fans to get behind the team on Tuesday.

Pep Guardiola pleaded for Manchester City fans to support the team “from minute one” for their “final” against Aston Villa ahead of more planned protests from supporters. City take on Villa in a six-pointer on Tuesday with the winners taking pole position in the race for Champions League qualification at the expense of the loser.

The Blues are sitting pretty as it stands, a point ahead of Unai Emery’s side going into the 34th of 38 league games this season and with home advantage. However, they were well beaten at Villa Park and everyone saw the quality on show there in the Champions League quarter-final with Paris Saint-Germain.

Before the game kicks off, there is a peaceful protest planned outside the ground from 7pm by home fans disillusioned with the club’s ticketing decisions. A change for next season to increase the number of matches a supporter has to attend – both personally and filling their seat through family and friends – has brought unhappiness for more season ticket holders.

Earlier this month, thousands of fans stayed on the concourse for the opening nine minutes of the match against Leicester to highlight their stance, and it worked even better than expected when Jack Grealish scored early and celebrated in front of empty seats where the regulars should have been. That will be done again for the home game with Wolves, but a decision was taken by supporters not to do so against Villa because of the importance of the game.

Guardiola is in a tricky position given he is the only club representative who speaks regularly and wants the best atmosphere possible but also needs money to reinvest in his squad and is unlikely to be publicly critical of his bosses.

However, he spoke recently of preferring the fans to be active rather than passive and wants a full effort from them against Villa to help a team that is still fragile.

“It’s absolutely a final,” he said. “And after Aston Villa, it will be the game against Wolves, it will be a final again, Southampton, because every point, every game counts.

“But, you know, it’s a contender to qualify for the Champions League, and you see both games, and you see the game they play against my friend Luis Enrique, at PSG, wow, I was really, really impressed. They can play low block or not, but when they decide to go, with the weapons they have, the speed they have, the set-pieces, and the way they organise.

“It’s a final, and we need our people, because I think our people want the Champions League next season again, and hopefully they can help us from minute one.

“Don’t wait. Sometimes we are sloppy, sometimes we are not playing good, but now, now we need them, we need them desperately, to support us, to make noise, and be there all the time, because it’s a final, absolutely it’s a final for us.”

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