Kompany says Pep Guardiola will lead a fightback against Liverpool
Monday 13 January 2020 08:18, UK
Vincent Kompany says Manchester City have "no reason to be disappointed" in their season with Champions League success still to play for.
Kompany is not ruling City out of the Premier League title race but conceded it is unlikely with his former club 14 points behind leaders Liverpool, who still have a game in hand.
The Belgian, though, believes City can still make a success of the season with the Champions League still "a massive target" for the club.
City are still fighting on three fronts in the cup competitions and success in the Carabao Cup would earn Pep Guardiola a sixth domestic trophy in a row.
Speaking at the Football Writers' Association tribute night in his honour, Kompany said: "I never say it's over with City [Premier League title race]. It's impossible to say. But it is not in the hands of Manchester City and that's unfortunate but there is so many things to look forward to.
"Look at historically how City have been performing in cups and how the Champions League is still a massive target for the club.
"There is no reason to be disappointed about this season, there's still it all to play for."
City moved up to second above Leicester with a 6-1 win at Aston Villa as Sergio Aguero scored a hat-trick and broke two Premier League records.
Kompany is backing his former manager Guardiola to lead the fightback in response to Liverpool's march towards their first Premier League title.
The Anderlecht player-manager does not believe the club should make drastic changes in their pursuit of Jurgen Klopp's team.
He added: "When you have such a manager of the status of Pep Guardiola. It is a matter of cycles. Players left and players came in, it takes time.
"Even if you had a machine for two years, it's just cycles more than big changes or big signs to why they haven't kept up with Liverpool. We just need a new cycle."
The former City captain was honoured at the Football Writers' Association tribute night at the Savoy on Sunday evening for his outstanding contribution to English football and his charity work, not least via Tackle4MCR, a co-operation with the Mayor of Manchester's office to tackle homelessness in the city.
