Pep Guardiola hailed ‘extraordinary team’ Arsenal as the ‘best team in this country and Europe’ after Manchester City boosted their title hopes with an impressive win over Chelsea.

Man City moved to within six points of title rivals Arsenal with an emphatic 3-0 win at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

Chelsea kept Pep Guardiola’s side at bay in the first half but conceded second-half goals from Nico O’Reilly, Marc Guehi and Jeremy Doku.

The victory means Manchester City are now just six points behind Premier League leaders Arsenal, who they face at the Etihad Stadium next weekend.

Arsenal, who last won the Premier League in 2004, missed the chance to move 12 points clear of Man City on Saturday as they were beaten 2-1 at home by Bournemouth.

Looking ahead to next Sunday’s potential title decider against Arsenal, Manchester City boss Guardiola said: ‘The question of this week will be that we are playing next week against a team who in 49 games, lost three.

‘In the Champions League games, they didn’t lose once. I know how difficult it is. They’ve won all the games except one, which they drew.

‘Playing the Carabao Cup with Man City completely as underdogs – there was not one person in the country who bet £1 on us – that’s much better.

‘Now it will be a bit different. Etihad at home, City is on top form, but the respect I have for Arsenal – what they’ve done in the last two or three years, because I know a little but the manager but the players and the quality.

‘How they compete in every circumstances, that will be the biggest job that we have to work in our heads. This tactical issue, but maybe they will adjust something, maybe we adjust something. 

‘But they have been the best team in this country and Europe so far today.  Beating Arsenal once is so difficult, imagine beating them twice in a few weeks.

‘So we have to rest, prepare and read exactly what we have to do. But I would like to say to my fans: respect Arsenal a lot.

‘They’re an extraordinary team. They are. It’s not naive, it’s not to make them feel something that they are not. 

‘But at the same time: come join us and support us minute one. The players will do the maximum.’

More to follow…

MORE: Gary Neville sends title message to Arsenal after Manchester City beat Chelsea

MORE: Arsenal transfer stance on £30million star who ‘the team has missed so much’

MORE: Chelsea 0-3 Man City: Arsenal on notice as Pep Guardiola’s men demolish Blues

Manchester City are away at Chelsea in the Premier League today as they battle Arsenal for the Premier League title.

Manchester City return to Premier League action this weekend with a trip to Stamford Bridge as they seek to keep pace with Arsenal at the top of the table.

City impressed in brushing Liverpool aside 4-0 in the FA Cup quarter-finals last time out and will hope to maintain that momentum when they travel to Chelsea.

The Blues know they need a win to keep alive their chances of overhauling league leaders Arsenal, who visit the Etihad next week.

Get MEN Premium now for just £1 HERE – or get involved in our City WhatsApp group by clicking HERE. You can also join our City Facebook page by clicking HERE and don’t miss out on our brilliant selection of newsletters HERE.

Pep Guardiola confirmed Ruben Dias and John Stones are not yet fit to feature with the defensive duo having missed the win over Liverpool. That means Marc Guehi and Abdukodir Khusanov will continue in the centre of defence. Nico O’Reilly has produced back-to-back starring performances from left back, while Matheus Nunes is established as first choice on the right.

Gianluigi Donnarumma is set to return in goal despite James Trafford keeping successive clean sheets and impressing against Arsenal at Wembley and Liverpool at the Etihad.

Man City vs Southampton VIP and hospitality tickets

This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more

from £249

Seat Unique

Book tickets here

Seat Unique offers hospitality packages for Manchester City’s FA Cup semi-final clash with Southampton, including ‘premium’ seats at Wembley and complimentary food and drink.

In midfield, Rodri and Bernardo Silva look set to partner each other in the middle of the park, allowing Rayan Cherki the chance to hurt Chelsea from an attacking role. Antoine Semenyo has been a consistent performer since arriving at the Etihad in January while Jeremy Doku gets the nod on the other flank. Erling Haaland, fresh from a hat-trick last time out, will lead the line.

City predicted XI: Donnarumma, Nunes, Khusanov, Guehi, O’Reilly; Rodri, Bernardo, Cherki; Doku, Semenyo, Haaland

Alejandro Garnacho exited Manchester United under a dark cloud last summer, but the Argentine admits things could have been handled better from his side

Alejandro Garnacho has admitted he regrets the way he left Manchester United. The Argentine had an acrimonious exit from Old Trafford last summer, when he joined Chelsea for £40million.

He departed the Reds as a member of the so-called Bomb Squad having fallen out with then United manager Ruben Amorim. The South American had a bitter quarrel with Amorim after publicly criticising the Portuguese manager for leaving him out of the starting eleven for the Europa League final loss to Tottenham.

From that moment, Amorim marginalised the South American, who had already irked him earlier in the campaign by wearing an Aston Villa shirt with Marcus Rashford on the back, after the latter had his own falling out with Amorim. Looking back on his exit, Garnacho admits things could have been handled better.

England’s 2026 World Cup kits

This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more

Various Prices

England Official Store

Buy Now on England Official Store

England and Nike have launched the new home, away and goalkeeper kits to be worn at this summer’s FIFA World Cup. You can get free delivery on all orders with the code: ENGFREEDEL

Speaking to Premier League productions, Garnacho, when asked if he regrets the way he departed the club, said: “Maybe yes, because I loved that club. They gave me the confidence from the start.

“From Spain, to bring me to the academy, then they bring me to the first team. So it was like four or five years, and amazing love from everyone.

FOLLOW OUR MAN UNITED FB PAGE! Latest news and analysis via the MEN’s Manchester United Facebook page

“From the fans, the stadium, everything was really good. It’s just sometimes you have to change for the good of your life or the next steps. I only have good memories of Man United.”

He also opened up on the final few months of his time at the club, where he found himself on the bench under Amorim. Garnacho added: “I remember in the last six months I was just not playing like before at Manchester United. I started to be on the bench, it’s not a bad thing.

“I was only 20 years old, but in my mind it was like I had to play every game. In my mind, maybe it is also on me, I started to do some bad things.

“But yes, it was just this moment in life and sometimes you have to make decisions and I am really proud to be here (at Chelsea) and still in the Premier League at a club like this. Everyone knows the team we have and the things we can do.

“Sometimes, we have better moments or worse moments, I am proud to be here but with United, I have nothing wrong to say about the club, no one in the club or the team-mates. It’s just a moment in life that changes and life continues. I have no regrets.”

Garnacho has an opportunity to haunt both, his former side’s rivals Manchester City and then United the week after. Chelsea host Pep Guardiola’s title-chasing side this weekend and then welcome Michael Carrick’s men the following week at Stamford Bridge.

Sky Sports, HBO Max, Netflix and Disney+ with Ultimate TV package

This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more

Sky has upgraded its Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundle to now include HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+ and Hayu, as well as 135 channels and full Sky coverage of the Premier League and EFL.

Sky broadcasts more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more with at least 215 live from the top flight alongside Formula 1, darts and golf.

Chelsea host Manchester City in the Premier League on Sunday with both teams in desperate need of three points

Manchester City will look to inflict a damaging defeat on Chelsea when the two teams meet on Sunday. Pep Guardiola’s side will arrive at Stamford Bridge hungry to narrow the gap on Premier League leaders Arsenal.

City could be 12 points behind the Gunners by the time they kick off with Mikel Arteta’s men facing Bournemouth on Saturday lunchtime. Guardiola’s men, meanwhile, face Liam Rosenior’s squad on Sunday afternoon (4:30pm BST).

It also signals the beginning of an extremely challenging week for Chelsea as they shift their focus back to league affairs. Less than a week after welcoming City, the west Londoners must then take on Manchester United at home in another examination of their top-six credentials.

Defeat at home this weekend could see Chelsea knocked out of the European qualifying spots with only a handful of fixtures remaining. Brentford and Everton are each merely two points adrift heading into week 32, and Chelsea have secured just one victory in their last six Premier League outings.

FOLLOW OUR MAN CITY FB PAGE! Latest news and analysis via the MEN’s Manchester City Facebook page

Morale appeared positive in training over recent days, though, as the club seeks to build upon its 7-0 FA Cup victory over Port Vale. Our sister title fotball.london breaks down some of the key talking points from Cobham ahead of such a crucial encounter against City.

Enzo Fernandez absence

The primary talking point to surface from Friday’s session is the continued absence of Enzo Fernandez. The Argentinian was suspended for Chelsea’s FA Cup encounter with Port Vale following remarks he made indicating he’s uncertain whether he’ll stay at the club this summer.

Rosenior confirmed Fernandez would serve a two-match ban following his comments. While some Chelsea supporters may have anticipated he’d soften his stance given the challenging fixtures ahead, the manager appears resolute in implementing his sanction.

With Reece James currently sidelined through injury, Chelsea will be forced to identify a third-choice captain for Sunday’s clash with City. The situation also demonstrates that Rosenior isn’t one to make empty threats when his authority is questioned.

Marc Guiu working for comeback

Marc Guiu will surely feel frustrated by his limited playing time since returning from his loan spell at Sunderland. Particularly after the Spanish forward was omitted from the matchday squad that suffered a 3-0 defeat to Everton before the international break.

While a shortage of attacking options was apparent during that disastrous away trip, Guiu was putting in the graft in an attempt to demonstrate he merits an opportunity against City.

Andrey Santos catches Cole cold

One video shared by Chelsea ahead of Sunday featured the players competing in a bronco-style bleep test. Leading the group at one stage were Andrey Santos and Cole Palmer, although the Brazilian maintained a notable edge. Santos’ quicker strides proved superior to Palmer’s longer stride pattern as the duo embraced their lighthearted challenge in earnest (quite literally). Nevertheless, midfielder Santos was clearly approaching the segment with far greater intensity while his colleague could only chuckle at coming second.

Caicedo back in the mix

Following two full matches for Ecuador during the international window, Moises Caicedo was given a breather for the Port Vale thrashing. Nevertheless, he’ll undoubtedly represent a crucial element in Rosenior’s starting XI on Sunday, particularly if Fernandez is absent as anticipated.

That said, Caicedo seemed to be in focused mode and participating in his own individual running exercise this week. It demonstrates just how much significance he’s attaching to the clash with City.

Dario Essugo fighting fit

Having missed so much of this season recovering from thigh surgery, Dario Essugo is at last closing in on a Premier League contribution. Following two assists in the extra-time victory over Wrexham, he featured again with a 28-minute appearance against Port Vale.

Having been included on a league matchday squad for the first time since August, it’s evident Essugo is within Rosenior’s thinking. What better match than City to spring a surprise by handing the Portugal under-21 international some minutes this weekend.

Manchester City return to Premier League action this weekend when they take on Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

Manchester City will be hoping to apply further pressure on Arsenal in the Premier League title race this weekend when they travel to Chelsea. Pep Guardiola’s side will be confident after picking up two huge victories against the Gunners and Liverpool in cup competitions.

As for Liam Rosenior’s men, they are enduring a difficult season, with Champions League qualification hanging in the balance and the FA Cup their last credible hope of silverware. Chelsea could be without seven first-team players for this weekend’s game. Captain Enzo Fernandez will be missing after the club imposed a two-match ban on him for comments made during the international break. The midfielder suggested he would be open to joining Real Madrid in the summer transfer window.

Former City youth player Jamie Gittens will also miss this weekend’s game having suffered a hamstring injury at the start of February. Reece James has a hamstring problem and is in a race to return before the end of the season.

Get MEN Premium now for just £1 HERE – or get involved in our City WhatsApp group by clicking HERE. You can also join our City Facebook page by clicking HERE and don’t miss out on our brilliant selection of newsletters HERE.

Trevoh Chalobah was carried off on a stretcher in the defeat to Paris Saint-Germain. The centre-back is due to return in May, as is Levi Colwill, who has been out all season with a cruciate ligament tear.

Goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen has been missing since March after needing a minor operation on an injury. He may be back to feature in the matchday squad against City along with Benoit Badiashile, who has missed the last couple of games with an illness.

City’s injury picture looks a lot better with defence their only major concern. Josko Gvardiol broke his leg in the reverse fixture earlier this year and is a doubt for the World Cup.

Ruben Dias picked up a new injury on the eve of the Liverpool victory having missed the Carabao Cup final before the international break. John Stones has also picked up another knock.

On those injuries, City assistant head coach Pep Lijnders said: “Ruben got a knock in the last few minutes of training. We are assessing it.

“I think he has a scan [last Saturday] so we will have to see. John will not be long-term, I think, but he was not available for today.”

Manchester City return to Premier League action on Sunday when they face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

After winning at Wembley and booking a return trip, Manchester City will turn their focus back to the Premier League title race this weekend as they travel to Chelsea.

While City are on cloud nine having landed a psychological blow on Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final before thrashing Liverpool in the FA Cup, the dark clouds are hovering over Stamford Bridge. When these two teams last met, Enzo Maresca had just been sacked and Chelsea’s U21s head coach Calum McFarlane guided them to an unlikely draw at the Etihad Stadium.

Liam Rosenior has since been appointed by Chelsea’s unpopular owners. So far it has been a rough ride for the 41-year-old, and City will be relishing the chance to crank up the heat.

Get MEN Premium now for just £1 HERE – or get involved in our City WhatsApp group by clicking HERE. You can also join our City Facebook page by clicking HERE and don’t miss out on our brilliant selection of newsletters HERE.

City have already been boosted by Enzo Fernandez’s absence from this weekend’s game. The club have banned the Argentine for the next two games after he opened the door to an exit from Stamford Bridge.

Sitting sixth in the Premier League, Chelsea should be buoyed after it was confirmed this week that the top five will qualify for the Champions League. Instead, there is plenty of pessimism in west London and City should be confident they can exploit an undeniable problem for this weekend’s host.

By some distance, Chelsea have the worst disciplinary record in the Premier League. While they only rank joint third for the number of yellow cards received (71), they lead the way on red cards.

Chelsea have amassed a whopping seven red cards this season, comfortably more than Tottenham and Everton, who share second place with four each. Since the turn of the year, Chelsea have picked up three red cards – two of which came in the Premier League.

This will be music to the ears of City stars like Rayan Cherki. The summer signing from Lyon has dazzled supporters with his tricks and flair this season.

Cherki has not only wowed Blues fans, he has also managed to rile up opposition teams in the process. While Pep Guardiola did not approve of the midfielder’s keepy-ups during the Carabao Cup final, he did draw a foul from Ben White afterwards.

This has been a theme throughout this season for Cherki, as even the coolest of heads lose their patience. He will now relish the chance to play against a team who need no encouragement to show their ill-discipline.

Chelsea fans’ belief in their team is fragile. City know if they start dominating possession, drawing bookings from Rosenior’s players and grabbing an early goal, the supporters will turn on their opponents.

Their home advantage will soon be wiped out if City can start quickly and not allow Chelsea to pick up momentum. Cherki will help with that cause, especially if he is showcasing his trademark flair.

City have a player clubs hate to play against. He is still discovering the fine line between confidence and showboating, but against a team like Chelsea, Cherki is exactly what you need.

Jadon Sancho has endured a torrid term with Manchester United since his arrival in 2021, but his nightmarish era at Old Trafford could draw to a close this summer

Borussia Dortmund are keen on signing Manchester United flop Jadon Sancho for a third time, club chief Lars Ricken has confirmed. The English winger, who cost £73m when he joined in 2021, has endured a torrid spell at Old Trafford.

He has managed just 12 goals in 83 appearances for United and has spent the last two-and-a-half seasons away on loan. Sancho spent the second half of the 2023/24 campaign at Dortmund, before moving to Chelsea last season.

Chelsea had been obligated to make that deal permanent but paid a penalty fee to withdraw from that agreement. Sancho has since been at Aston Villa but has found the net just once during his time in the Midlands.

Get MEN Premium now for just £1 HERE – or get involved in our United WhatsApp group by clicking HERE. You can also join our United Facebook page by clicking HERE and don’t miss out on our brilliant selection of newsletters HERE.

With his contract set to expire this summer, and United opting against activating an option to extend it by a further season, he looks all but set to depart the club. Dortmund managing director Ricken has now revealed that Sancho is among several potential targets for the German outfit.

Speaking to Sport Bild, he said: “We are currently looking at a lot of players and analysing them. We check whether they can make us better.

“We are doing the same with Jadon. Of course, we are looking for an offensive player who brings quality, can help us immediately, and doesn’t require an unrealistic transfer fee.

“In defence, Niklas Süle is leaving us, and Emre Can will be out for a while. So we are thinking about that area as well.”

FOLLOW OUR MAN UNITED FB PAGE! Latest news and analysis via the MEN’s Manchester United Facebook page

Sancho has endured a difficult campaign with Villa, having made just 17 starts across all competitions. His sole goal came in a 1-0 away victory against Fenerbahce in the Europa League.

However, speaking earlier this year, manager Unai Emery appeared to indicate he would be receptive to making the move permanent. He said: “Not yet, but he is a fantastic player.

“Hopefully he can help us by increasing his qualities in our structure like he is doing. He will need another contract, and maybe it could be here.

“If he plays his best football, we will want him. But also other teams could be involved in the interest for him.”

Reflecting on Sancho’s performances for Villa, Emery added: “The first part of the season was not enough. He was working and trying, but not achieving the performance we needed.

“Now he is getting better. He is getting the challenge for him and us.”

A rival manager has reportedly reached out directly to Alejandro Garnacho in the hopes of giving the ex-Manchester United winger a route out of Chelsea in the summer transfer window

This summer could present a major crossroads for Alejandro Garnacho amid reports he’s been contacted directly by a rival manager. However, it’s not necessarily the kind of interest the Argentina international might have envisioned one year after leaving Manchester United to join Chelsea.

Garnacho, 21, was seemingly considered to be a disruptive presence in United’s changing room prior to his Old Trafford exit. The winger spoke out against Ruben Amorim after being dropped by his former boss towards the end of that chapter, joining the Blues last summer in a £40million switch.

And after struggling for success under Liam Rosenior, Argentinian broadcaster TyC has reported he’s now a target for River Plate. So much so that manager Eduardo Coudet is alleged to have reached out personally in the hopes of luring the player.

Get MEN Premium now for just £1 HERE – or get involved in our United WhatsApp group by clicking HERE. You can also join our United Facebook page by clicking HERE and don’t miss out on our brilliant selection of newsletters HERE.

It’s suggested River Plate are interested in recruiting Garnacho on a one-year loan, which Chelsea could be open to. A temporary deal would give Garnacho a chance to rediscover his best form away from the bright lights of the Premier League.

The youngster has earned eight caps for Argentina and was part of Lionel Scaloni’s squad as they lifted the 2024 Copa America. However, Garnacho has never lived in the country and qualifies through his mother, having been born and raised in Madrid.

It’s a disappointing illustration of where his prospects stand today. Enzo Maresca was in charge at Stamford Bridge when Garnacho moved to west London last year and the Italian appeared to be a big fan of the player.

However, Rosenior hasn’t proved as receptive and initially benched Garnacho in his Premier League commitments. Most of the winger’s greatest impacts this season have come in cup competitions, including a brace off the bench during their 3-2 defeat to Arsenal in the League Cup semi-finals.

His output in league play hasn’t been nearly as prolific, with one goal and four assists from 20 appearances this season. Garnacho is contracted at Chelsea until the summer of 2032, however, leaving plenty of time to resurrect his profile to its former heights.

The downside of that is the Blues yet again leave themselves at risk of paying a depreciating asset on incredibly long terms. Garnacho is among the more median earners at Stamford Bridge on a wage of £110,000 a week, though that would still present a major obstacle for River Plate.

As such, Chelsea would be expected to at least cover a significant portion of the player’s salary while he was on loan. Furthermore, Garnacho has previously commented on the fact his family supports Boca Juniors, River Plate’s fiercest nemeses.

There’s no chance Los Millonarios would be able to compete for Garnacho’s signature on any permanent terms unless Chelsea took a massive loss. United have a vested interest in the player increasing his value, too, given they’re entitled to 10 per cent of any future fee Chelsea receive.

Up to 70% off Man United kits and merch

This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more

Various Prices

Fanatics

Buy Now on Fanatics

Fanatics has slashed the price of Man United kits and merch with up to 70% off select items.

Daniel Farke says Leeds are ‘for sure’ the ‘underdogs’ in their FA Cup semi-final with Chelsea, but his side will be ‘greedy’ for victory when they take to the field at Wembley later this month.

Leeds secured their spot in the last four of the cup for the first time in 39 years thanks to a dramatic penalty shootout win over West Ham at the London Stadium.

It was a pulsating contest in the capital, with Farke’s men seemingly cruising after Calvert-Lewin had doubled the visitors’ lead from the spot following Ao Tanaka’s opener.

But there was an almighty momentum shift as Mateus Fernandes reduced the deficit in the third minute of stoppage time after scores of Hammers supporters had already left the stadium in frustration.

Axel Disasi equalised just moments later to put West Ham firmly in the ascendancy heading into extra-time, only for Leeds to prevail on penalties after the two teams could not be separated.

Lucas Perri was the hero for Leeds, making two big saves in a nerve-shredding shootout, to help send his team just two wins away from the famous trophy.

A day earlier, Chelsea ensured they advanced through with an emphatic 7-0 thrashing of League One outfit Port Vale at Stamford Bridge.

In this year’s other semi-final, Manchester City will lock horns with Southampton, who stunned Premier League leaders Arsenal to seal their spot at Wembley.

‘We will be the underdog, that’s for sure,’ Farke told BBC Sport when asked for his reaction to the draw shortly after Leeds’ dramatic victory over West Ham.

‘It’s a big name and a side full of top players. For that we are the underdog but we have written history.

‘Nobody expected us to go though to the semi-final. And of course we are greedy to go to the next step.

‘My focus now is on the Premier League. We are on such a good path and want to make sure we can celebrate there.’

Speaking to TNT Sports, Calvert-Lewin said he and the rest of Leeds’ squad would be ready and prepared for a ‘difficult’ test against Chelsea under the Wembley arch.

‘It’s always going to be a difficult match against Chelsea,’ the Leeds and England striker said.

‘They’re a good side, but it’s the FA Cup, we’re going to Wembley. Excited.

‘I’ve never had the opportunity to play at Wembley for at club level before, so for me it was a big chance today.

‘When it went to 2-2, I thought maybe it’s not meant to be, but thankfully, we stuck in there and got the win.’

When will the FA Cup semi-finals and final be played?

The two semi-final ties will take place on Saturday, April 25 and Sunday, April 26 at Wembley.

The two winning teams will return to the stadium for this year’s final on May 16.

Asked what Leeds manager had Farke told the squad before extra-time, Calvert-Lewin explained: ‘I think they started overloading out wide and it was the basics of football, defending crosses and stopping crosses, which we didn’t do very well.

‘And you’ve got to be prepared for them to come forward and get themselves back in the game, and I think we just let ourselves down with that.

‘They had momentum and we managed to hold out and win on penalties.

‘I had a good feeling, particularly before I came on, that there was going to be chances to make an impact. And when you’re on the pitch and they’ve got the ball and I’m up front in position, all I’m thinking about is I hope they don’t score.

‘I wasn’t really thinking about the neutral. I was focused on scoring and stopping them from scoring.’

On his spot-kick to make it 2-0 against the Irons, Calvert-Lewin said: ‘Just basics, I did what I always do.

‘It’s no secret that I missed my last one against [Crystal] Palace away, so it was a big moment for me to make sure I put it away properly. And I’ve been practicing in training just drilling it.

‘When you miss one you want to go through your processes again and I have a process and I knew where I was going this time and put it away.’

For more stories like this, check our sport page.

Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on
Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

MORE: Chelsea make breakthrough and close in on transfer deal for ex-Premier League defender

MORE: Mikel Arteta urged to drop ‘world-class’ Arsenal star for £42m teammate

MORE: Arsenal told they will need ‘Chelsea help’ to win Premier League title