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Pep Guardiola has admitted the demands of winning the treble did take a toll on his Manchester City players.<\/p>\n
City were knocked out of the Carabao Cup and suffered rare back-to-back Premier League defeats prior to the recent international break.<\/p>\n
They got back to winning ways with a hard-fought 2-1 win over Brighton on Saturday but Guardiola concedes there has been a natural drop in intensity after the remarkable end to last season.<\/p>\n
The City manager said: \u201cThe treble had an influence on all of us, me included.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo now we need to be there, close, month by month, to arrive in the final decision moments at the end of the season close to the opponents to try it again.<\/p>\n
\u201cI said many times, no-one has won four (Premier Leagues) in a row, never ever. That shows how difficult it is, but now it\u2019s important to be there, especially in the Champions League, qualify for the next round in this period and after we can just focus on the Premier League. That is the target.\u201d<\/p>\n
City\u2019s success has also brought increased expectations, particularly on Erling Haaland, who scored a remarkable 52 goals in an outstanding first season at the club last term.<\/p>\n
By his extraordinary standards, the Norwegian\u2019s recent three-game run without a goal constituted a barren spell but he ended that \u2018drought\u2019 with a clinical strike against the Seagulls.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes the expectations are so high but he\u2019s handled it really well,\u201d said Guardiola. \u201cHe knows he could have scored even more goals in the nine Premier League games we have played.\u201d<\/p>\n
Guardiola rested goalkeeper Ederson at the weekend following the Brazilian\u2019s exertions during the international break. Stefan Ortega took his place.<\/p>\n
Guardiola said: \u201cIt was just for the fact that the travel from Brazil, it\u2019s a long time. Of course it\u2019s happened many times but he played two games there and he was so so tired.<\/p>\n
\u201cNormally I like to play Ortega in the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup but we are out of the Carabao Cup, and sometimes it\u2019s good for Eddy to rest a bit and refresh the mind.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ortega was pleased to get the opportunity and hopes there will be plenty more.<\/p>\n
The German said: \u201cI was excited when Pep told me that I was starting. I\u2019m always waiting to get a chance to get a bit more game time.<\/p>\n
\u201cEddy is playing really well this season, he started really\u00a0good, but I try to keep pushing him every day in training sessions.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think I deserved to start. I\u2019m ambitious so of course I\u2019m not happy to sit on the bench, but we are in a team.<\/p>\n
\u201cSometimes it is tough but this is my job \u2013 to be there when the team needs me and to keep pushing Eddy every day.\u201d<\/p>\n