Pep Guardiola and his Manchester City have been presented with an unexpected challenger to their Premier League title defense this season, in Arsenal. The Gunners have resurrected so massively in so less time that from missing out on a top-four finish last season, they have right away opened an eight-point gap at the top of the table over defending champions City.
While Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has repeatedly played down the title talks, Guardiola believes his apprentice is going to lead the Gunners all the way to their first Premier League trophy since 2004. The City boss has already brought mind games as well into the action, as his side aims to cut the gap at the top to five points with a win over a struggling Chelsea side.
Maybe we’ll play s*** tomorrow – Pep Guardiola endorses Arsenal’s title challenge ahead of Chelsea clash
Pep Guardiola was speaking ahead of City’s crunch game against Chelsea, which could be a make or break for both the sides. While City can inch closer towards Arsenal at the summit with a win, a defeat however will leave them eight behind the Gunners, and could blow a huge dent in their bid to retain the title. And Guardiola feels it may ‘happen’ as well with his team probably dropping points against the Blues, handing Arsenal the title. He said:
“The way [Arsenal] played against Newcastle again impressed me a lot. They dropped two points but they didn’t drop the quality [with which] they played. We have to be almost perfect, I would say, from here to the end of the season and hope they drop a little bit in their performance.
“But, at the same time, I see the way we played the last games, and the feeling is good. Maybe we’ll play s*** tomorrow but the feeling is good. My target always as a manager is to try to be yourself and be better than the opponent, and after if you concede one shot and they score and we can’t score, you have to accept it and move forward.
“What I want to see is us still fight, don’t give up, not now, until the last chance, until the last drop of water we can fight to win the Premier League, and the moment we are not able to win the Premier League we have to be ready to compete next season.
“Maybe it’s an advantage for the fact that… I don’t know how many years that [Arsenal] haven’t won the Premier League. The advantage of Arsenal and Manchester United right now is nobody has to win the Premier League for 20 points ahead in November like Manchester City has to – and this is sometimes a big problem. People say, ‘Ah, yes, you are…’ Yes, we are, but with Arsenal winning all their games and you are seven or eight points behind… [Arsenal winning the title] can happen.”
While Pep Guardiola believes his side could well lose the title to the Gunners, City still are not completely out of contention. Arsenal will still drop points in the future as they did against Newcastle in the last game in a goalless draw. The Gunners are also to face City twice before the season ends since the one scheduled in October last year was postponed. Moreover, both the clubs will also look to bolster their squad in the ongoing January market, with Arenal already on the trail of a couple of players.