- Guardiola urges Manchester City to prepare for a tough Premier League title race, expecting it to go down to the wire
- Despite trailing Arsenal and Liverpool, Guardiola remains confident in City’s chances, emphasizing the need to focus on winning games
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has urged his team to brace themselves for a fiercely contested Premier League title race that could extend until the season’s final day.
This season, reigning champions City have found themselves in a three-way battle with Arsenal and Liverpool for the top spot.
With a commanding 4-1 victory over Aston Villa on Wednesday, which saw England midfielder Phil Foden netting a hat-trick, City closed the gap on leaders Arsenal to just one point, drawing level with second-placed Liverpool.
However, Liverpool could regain their lead when they play their game in hand against bottom-of-the-table Sheffield United later on Thursday.
Guardiola remains adamant that his side is the third favourite to win the Premier League trophy despite seeking an unprecedented fourth successive title.
He anticipates City staying in contention until the end, stating, “If we win all our games, it will go until the last day because they are not five, six, seven points in front. It will not be easy.”
While acknowledging the formidable competition by Liverpool and Arsenal, Guardiola emphasized the importance of focusing on their performances and securing victories in their remaining matches.
He cautioned against dwelling on missed opportunities, saying, “All we can do is win our games.”
Despite leaving key players Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland on the bench ahead of their Champions League clash with Real Madrid, City exhibited dominance in their win against Villa.
However, Guardiola dismissed suggestions that City were hitting peak form at the right moment, rebuffing reporters’ queries regarding the team’s recent performances.
Regarding recent criticisms following a goalless draw with Arsenal, Guardiola retorted, “We were out of the title race three or four days ago and not playing well; the team was not playing like we did the last six seasons. Now we are in the best form in the league? Come on, guys…”
Nonetheless, Guardiola expressed confidence in his team’s abilities, highlighting their exceptional performances throughout the season.
He concluded, “That’s why we are calm. As I said, it’s tight, not seven or eight points. It’s close. We have to wait. They have to lose points, otherwise it will not be possible, but again the team has been exceptional this season, exceptional.”