Guardiola names three teams that can stop Man City pipping Arsenal
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola believes his team are in form but does not feel Arsenal are the only threat remaining
Manchester City were convincing winners at Chelsea in the Premier League on Sunday
Pep Guardiola said playing Arsenal will be a final for Manchester City – but warned of more teams that can trip them up in the run-in. While beating the Gunners at the Etihad will put the Blues back in pole position to clinch the title, City’s manager is already worried about other games they have.
A 3-0 thrashing of Chelsea continued a tremendous run of form for City stretching over the last three weeks, coming on the back of the 2-0 win over Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final and a 4-0 thumping of Liverpool in the FA Cup quarter-final. With minimal changes for each of those games, it feels again like Guardiola has settled on a best XI that can be trusted to perform to a high level consistently.
Arsenal’s home defeat to Bournemouth piles the pressure on them for their trip to Manchester on Sunday, even if they still hold the advantage and know a draw can keep City at arm’s length; a win would almost certainly end the title race. However important that game is, Guardiola has spoken all year of the quality in the league and has already circled other games that City have left where they could potentially be cut down.
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“In Manchester there is never the sun. If the sun arrived in November, we would be champions in January,” the manager joked. “Honestly, the mood is better. The mentality of the group. The hierarchy gave me the mentality of amazing players and competitive players, that is the key to success. I push them, they push me.
“When you arrive in the last month and a half, with one title and in the other two competitions and the Champions League we make incredible top-eight finish, then Real Madrid is not an easy rival to face, maybe I didn’t click something, but we arrived there because the team was really good. That is the margins to win or lose and we will see what happens next. Arsenal is a final for us, for them as well.
“But don’t tell me Brentford at home will be easy, go to Bournemouth to win, win at home to Aston Villa. There are still many things that are going to happen. That’s why after the result yesterday I said relax guys, don’t think much. All you have to do is how we will perform today against Chelsea. That’s the only thing you have to think about.”
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