What happened? "Pep" revealed he had sleepless nights before Man City faced Newcastle in the first leg of the League Cup semi-final.
On 12 January 2026, Pep Guardiola, manager of Manchester City, spoke at a press conference before the League Cup (Carabao Cup) semi-final first leg away match against "defending champions" Newcastle United, fellow Premier League competitors, scheduled for Tuesday, 13 January.
Man City recently lost 1-2 to Newcastle at St. James' Park in the Premier League on 22 November, leading Pep Guardiola to admit he was sleepless last night, pondering tactics to overcome Eddie Howe, the "Magpies" coach.
The Man City manager said, "Last night I didn’t sleep at all. I kept thinking about what brilliant plan I could devise to beat Eddie Howe."
"It's been many years since Eddie Howe took charge. Look how many times they’ve won in the final moments. The energy from the fans has been like that for a long time. That stadium is truly special."
"The semi-finals against Arsenal and Chelsea will be just as tough as facing Newcastle. I think it shouldn’t be any different from that."
"I don’t know if it adds extra pressure on them because they are the defending champions. They’ve performed well for several years, won last season, and this year have reached the semi-finals. And you’re right—they are the champions. This is an opportunity for many new players to reach the final."
Regarding whether Man City’s recent 10-1 thrashing of Exeter City in the FA Cup third round would have an impact on facing Newcastle, Pep replied, "I don’t think much about it. We do our job. The best way to earn respect is by doing what we can."
"I wouldn’t say it’s anything special. Looking back at our time here, scoring 10 goals against Exeter isn’t a big deal."
