Pep Guardiola has now warned his Manchester City players that what ‘can happen to Arsenal’ may also happen to them in the final games of the Premier League title race.
Just one point currently separates the Citizens and the Gunners at the top of the table as the Etihad Stadium outfit look to make history. Manchester City can become the first club to win four Premier League titles in a row. But Arsenal will push them all the way for a second year.
Arsenal were the only team to rival the Citizens last term before their title hopes evaporated with two games left. Now, the Emirates Stadium club hold a slender margin over the Citizens with four games left this term. But the Citizens have a game in hand which could be decisive.
Manchester City hold the edge over Arsenal in the Premier League title race
Manchester City will even have two fixtures in hand when they kick-off at Nottingham Forest this Sunday evening. Guardiola takes the Citizens to the City Ground after Mikel Arteta takes Arsenal to Tottenham Hotspur for the north London derby in one of Sunday’s 14:00 kick-offs.
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Liverpool are also not mathematically out of the title race despite their 2-0 defeat at Everton on Wednesday night. It was the Reds’ second defeat in three games after Crystal Palace won 1-0 at Anfield. Arsenal failed to capitalise on the Eagles’ win by losing 2-0 against Aston Villa.
Pep Guardiola warns Manchester City they could slip up like Liverpool
Aston Villa’s win in north London gave Manchester City a potentially decisive advantage over Arsenal in the title race. But Guardiola has now warned his players that they must ‘fight until the end’ as the Citizens and Gunners could also slip up like Liverpool against Crystal Palace.
Guardiola stated, via quotes by football.london: “I said to the players [that] what happened to Liverpool can happen to us and can happen to Arsenal.
“People didn’t expect them to lose against Crystal Palace and yesterday but it can happen to us. It’s football. Everton are playing to avoid the relegation zone and we have a similar game at Nottingham Forest and they play for their lives.
“Maybe because they were a real contender of ours for many years my appreciation for Liverpool is higher than ever. Still, it is there [for Liverpool] because I know the character of their team. They are going to fight until the end and we have to do it, too.”
Arsenal must rely on Manchester City suffering a blip like Liverpool
Arsenal must rely on Manchester City having a blip like Liverpool did against Crystal Palace if Arteta is to win their first Premier League title since the 2003/04 Invincibles. However, the Citizens are unbeaten in the top-flight since December 6 and have a potentially nicer run-in.
Manchester City visit relegation-threatened Nottingham Forest this weekend before playing mid-table Wolves and Fulham, visit Tottenham and end the campaign at home to West Ham United. Arsenal still have to play Spurs, AFC Bournemouth, Manchester United and Everton.
The Gunners also go to N17 and Old Trafford, with mid-table Bournemouth plus Everton the only teams still to visit the Emirates. So, Arteta may find Arsenal in a position where the club must rely on Tottenham doing them a favour and thwarting Manchester City to win the title.