Pep Guardiola was left puzzled by Jamie Jackson’s question about “squeaky bum time” ahead of Man City’s match against Tottenham.
The phase was famously used by former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson to describe the pressure of the final weeks of a season.
It originated in 2003 when Ferguson described Arsenal’s title fight with his United side as “squeaky bum time” for the Gunners.
Guardiola was informed of Ferguson’s characterisation and asked whether he and his players would experience the same.
“Translate,” Guardiola said. “A lot of pressure? I a lot of pressure. Why Sir Alex not make an easier sentence for this moment?”
‘Translate’ 🤣🤣🤣#BBCFootball #TOTMCI pic.twitter.com/tCt6W67mzO
— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) May 13, 2024
Once everything was explained that this meant feeling nerves or pressure, Guardiola said: “Now, no, and now I have to tell the players, introduce Tottenham [and] the game we expect we are going to play. But tomorrow we will feel the tension and the nerves. Of course I will feel it, otherwise it would be a bad sign.
“Every game I feel the right tension but [I focus on] the opponents, focus on what they [the players] have to do, read what will happen in the game and then don’t be so excited, take bad decisions and make my players a little bit anxious – because of my behaviour sometimes it happens, unfortunately for me and the team.
“The rest I’m fine, just to be calm, to take the right decisions. I have always been, even in September, October, November. I don’t think any football player or manager is so relaxed to think it doesn’t matter. We know what we’re playing for: it’s a knockout, like a quarter-final, semi-final second leg of the Champions League or FA Cup. Simple: win, OK; lose, bye-bye. It’s not much more complicated than that.”
So, if City win on Tuesday night, they will move two points above Arsenal at the top of the Premier League table heading into the final weekend of the campaign.
If City lose at Spurs the destnty of the title will be in Arsenal’s hands and a draw would give them the edge owing to a goal difference superior by three.
Subscribe to the Stretty News podcast Strettycast for weekly episodes on Manchester United. You can also sign up to the ad-free Stretty Newsletter. Get the Stretty News verdict on all matters Manchester United.
What was that about an easier sentence? Followed by half a page of babble😂
Anyway, congratulations, Pep, on being the only person in football not to have previously heard Sir Alex’s famous comment. Apparently.