Pep Guardiola indicated that Manchester City will remain vigilant in the title race, “there just in case,” should Arsenal falter. This comes even as he notes player fatigue has necessitated resting key forwards like Erling Haaland, Jérémy Doku, and Rayan Cherki during Wednesday’s convincing 3-0 win over Crystal Palace.
The victory allowed City to close the gap to just two points behind leaders Arsenal, with both teams having two matches remaining this season.
However, Guardiola pointed out that City’s upcoming schedule, which includes an FA Cup final against Chelsea on Saturday followed by league fixtures against Bournemouth and Aston Villa, presents a challenge, especially with player fatigue becoming a factor.
“It all depends on them [Arsenal],” Guardiola commented.
“If they win their two matches, there’s nothing else to discuss,” he said. “All we can do is be ready to seize any opportunities that arise.” He acknowledged the difficulty of their remaining fixtures, stating, “The next two matches will be tough.”
“Our focus now is on getting some rest and preparing for the FA Cup. We also have Bournemouth shortly after, so travel and personal commitments add to the fatigue,” he noted.
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Guardiola made six changes for the match against Palace, keeping his top scorer Haaland on the bench for the entire 90 minutes. He emphasized that squad rotation will continue as they finish the season.
“I have complete faith in all my players,” he affirmed. “If we had lost today, it would have been over, but now we can compete for hope in the last game. Our next opponent, Bournemouth, is performing well, and Unai Emery’s side will not be easy to face in the final match.”
“I cannot ask for more from the players,” he added. “We intend to win at Wembley, and we need to be fully prepared both physically and mentally against a team that may not be having their best season, but has undeniable quality.”
“They will certainly give their best, and we must do the same to come out on top.”