Manchester City crashed out of the Champions League last season in the quarter-finals as they fell to a 3-1 loss against Lyon with Guardiola coming under great scrutiny for how he set up his team.
The Citizens are currently holding a 2-1 aggregate lead over Borussia Dortmund following Tuesday’s quarter-finals first leg at the Etihad Stadium, with the return fixture of the continental tie set for next Wednesday.
Former top flight star Lawrenson believes Guardiola will not repeat his mistakes from last term in the current campaign against Dortmund as he learns from his shortcomings.
Lawrenson revealed he expects Manchester City to cruise through to the next round against the German giants, especially with the Citizens’ best players such as Kevin De Bruyne and Phil Foden in top form.
Asked whether he feels Manchester City could bottle it again in the Champions League, Lawrenson told Off The Ball: “No, do not think they will do it.
“I mean I do not think they will bottle it; I think they will get through.
“The problem with Guardiola, sometimes as good a manager he is, and there is no argument about that, he comes across sometimes as the most cleverest person in the room at school and we saw with Lyon last year in the Champions League where he made a mistake in the way that he sent out his team to play, I do not get that with him this year.
“I think they are a lot, lot better, crikey they played loads of games without a striker and just absolutely battered teams.
“I think they will go to Dortmund and I honestly believe Dortmund will do well to get the ball off City because one of those where you know you have got a really good side and you go away from home against the team who you think could possibly beat you, it is when all the top players show why they are top players and the form that De Bruyne is in and Foden and people like that, I see Manchester City cruising through the return leg.”
Manchester City are up against Leeds United in the Premier League at the weekend and then will travel to Germany to take on Dortmund in the crucial quarter-final clash.
