Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has admitted that a defeat to Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday would effectively end his side’s Premier League title challenge, while cautioning that victory would merely keep the race alive rather than settle it.
Guardiola, whose side sit six points behind leaders Arsenal with a game in hand, said an Arsenal win at the Etihad would be decisive. “If we lose, yeah, it’s over,” he told his pre-match press conference on Friday. He added, however, that even a City win would leave considerable work ahead with difficult fixtures remaining.
Guardiola outlined a punishing run-in, describing City’s schedule as “terrible,” with remaining fixtures including away trips to Everton and Bournemouth, plus home games against Aston Villa, Burnley, Crystal Palace, and Brentford. Should City beat Arsenal and follow up with a win at Burnley on Wednesday, they would move to the top of the table for the first time in months.
Arsenal have struggled for form following their defeat to City in the EFL Cup final last month, recording just one win in five games across all competitions. Despite this, Guardiola acknowledged that the Gunners have been the best side in England this season. “They have been the best so far, but we want to challenge them,” he said.
The City boss urged his players not to be swept up in the occasion. “I said today to the players, ‘It is just a football game,'” he told reporters. “If you get distracted by emotions, that is how you lose focus. What is the target? It is to perform well.”
Striker Erling Haaland echoed the gravity of the occasion, describing the clash as “like a final” and noting that these are precisely the moments players want to be part of. “It’s a massive game without a doubt,” Haaland said. “We have a final every single weekend now for the next six weeks.”
Guardiola also confirmed that Nico O’Reilly, who scored both goals in City’s 2-0 EFL Cup final victory over Arsenal at Wembley last month, is fit to face the Gunners after concerns over a hamstring issue sustained during the 3-0 win at Chelsea. Captain Bernardo Silva will also be available after successfully avoiding a booking that would have triggered a suspension.
On the Arsenal side, Mikel Arteta’s team arrive at the Etihad having also been knocked out of the FA Cup by Championship side Southampton and requiring extra time to edge past Sporting Lisbon in the UEFA Champions League in midweek.
