Pep Guardiola has said that a win for Arsenal against Manchester City on Sunday would all but decide the Premier League title race, though he stressed that his team would still have plenty of work ahead even if they come out on top.
Mikel Arteta’s side currently lead the table by six points, but City have the advantage of playing at home and still have a game in hand. Victories over Arsenal and struggling Burnley on Wednesday could see Guardiola’s men climb to the top of the table for the first time in months.
Arsenal, chasing their first league title in 22 years, have shown signs of inconsistency in recent weeks. Their League Cup final defeat to City last month was followed by just one win in five matches across all competitions. Even so, Guardiola remains cautious, especially with challenging fixtures against Everton and Bournemouth still to come.
“If we lose, then yes, it’s over,” Guardiola said at his pre-match press conference on Friday. “But there are still games left. Six matches is a lot, especially with our schedule.”
City appear to have a slight edge in preparation, having had a full week to rest, while Arsenal battled past Sporting Lisbon in midweek to reach the Champions League semi-finals. Arteta, however, praised his squad’s resilience in navigating a demanding schedule across multiple competitions.
Guardiola acknowledged Arsenal as the standout team in England this season and warned his players to stay focused amid the heightened stakes.
“I told the players it’s just a football game, and we need to treat it that way. If you get carried away by emotions, you lose focus. The goal is to perform at our best in every aspect required to compete with a team like Arsenal.”
Erling Haaland also underlined the importance of the match, describing it as “like a final” and the kind of occasion players relish.
Guardiola added that Nico O’Reilly, who scored twice in the League Cup final, is fit and available despite a minor injury concern following last weekend’s 3-0 win over Chelsea.
