Pep Guardiola has stated that the Premier League title race will be effectively “over” if Manchester City loses to Arsenal this weekend.
The top two teams in the Premier League will face off at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday, a match that has been described as a potential title decider.
Guardiola’s squad will start the match six points behind Arsenal but with a game in hand. He emphasized that if Arsenal wins, they will be crowned champions.
“If we lose, it’s over,” Guardiola remarked.
“They are incredibly strong across all areas. In duels and physical confrontations, if you let them create effectively without pressing aggressively, they can build up play well.”
“[David] Raya is exceptional. We don’t need to discuss set pieces.”
“That’s the reason they have been at the top of the Premier League all season, and I take pride in competing against them.”
If Manchester City manages to secure a victory, they would close the gap to just three points behind Arsenal. Additionally, City could ascend to the top of the table if they defeat Burnley on Wednesday.
However, even if Arsenal does lose on Sunday, Guardiola insists that City won’t automatically be the favorites to win the trophy due to their challenging schedule for the remainder of the season.
“We have a tough calendar with matches against Everton away, Bournemouth away, and then Aston Villa at home for our last game,” Guardiola explained.
“We face Burnley, Crystal Palace, and Brentford at home, and with European challenges against Crystal Palace and Aston Villa, there’s still a lot to play for.”
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Guardiola received a boost ahead of the clash with Arsenal, as Nico O’Reilly is set to be available after recovering from a hamstring injury.
O’Reilly played a crucial role in the Carabao Cup final, netting both goals in their 2-0 victory over Mikel Arteta’s squad.
However, Guardiola anticipates that his former assistant will adjust his tactics to avoid a repeat of the Wembley encounter.
“If we play like we did for 95 minutes [as we did at Wembley] and they perform as they did then, we should win,” Guardiola noted.
“But football is unpredictable. Knowing Mikel a bit, I expect them to make adjustments, and we must be ready.”