Guardiola Disgusted By State Of Etihad Stadium Pitch

The Citizens head into the weekend round of fixtures 14 points clear at the top of the Premier League table but Guardiola thinks his side are behind their rivals when it comes to the quality of their pitch.

The former Barcelona manager believes the club have consistently failed to address a perennial problem that comes around during the autumn and winter, despite an eye-pleasing style of football that has been implemented in the blue half of Manchester.

City do not play at their home ground again until April 10 when they host Leeds United in the Premier League after the international break, and Guardiola is hopeful a solution would have been found by that time.

"They're working a lot, they are trying to find a solution but the grass is not good,” Guardiola said ahead of Saturday’s trip to Fulham.

"All the players know how good the grass is and sometimes it is not. I know the weather conditions here in England are tough but there are stadiums where the grass is good. We were in London against Arsenal, at Anfield, at Old Trafford and the grass was better.

"We were in Budapest in the Champions League and the grass was incredible, red carpet - and our grass still is not good."

Guardiola added: "We have tried from day one, we have tried every season to find a solution, knowing that the weather's going to change so the sun will not come," Guardiola said.

"We have to try to find a way that for as much time as possible, and the time from October, November until March, the grass can be better as much as possible.

"We need it for, of course, avoiding injuries. So our football can be better for many, many reasons.

"And I'm sure the club will try to do, as it always has done and always does, the best to find a solution."