Following an uncharacteristic stumble at the start of the season, Manchester City is now eyeing a pivotal turnaround as they prepare to face Arsenal. Manager Pep Guardiola has sent a clear message to his squad, emphasizing that the team’s ability to compete for the title hinges on their consistency and confidence.
Rediscovering Their Form
After a shaky start to the Premier League season, which included two losses, City appears to have found their footing with back-to-back victories against Manchester United and Napoli. Guardiola noted that these two performances have instilled a new sense of purpose within the squad. “The team, in the last two games, has taken another feeling; composure defensively and offensively, our body language is unbelievably good,” he said. “I’m very pleased. Going there [Arsenal] with these feelings is much better!”
This shift in momentum is crucial as they head to the Emirates Stadium. City suffered a humbling 5-1 defeat to Arsenal there last season, a result Guardiola described as a “disaster.” He is determined to see his team avoid a similar collapse. “We were a lot of the time pretty good, but the last 15-20 minutes were a disaster,” he recalled. “We forgot to do what we had to do and it was easy for Arsenal. I want to compete to be a better team than we were last season.”
The Challenge Ahead
Despite their recent winning form, Guardiola remains grounded about the scale of the challenge. He acknowledged that Arsenal, under his former assistant Mikel Arteta, has grown into a formidable opponent. “Window by window, step by step, Arsenal is getting better,” he said. “Last season in Europe, they made an incredible step forward and they are for me the most solid team. They don’t make mistakes in the back and are this incredibly solid team.”
The City boss understands that the title race is a marathon, not a sprint. He referenced a piece of advice from Sir Alex Ferguson, saying, “Sir Alex Ferguson, when I arrived here, said to Brian Kidd, in the Premier League, you have to, before Boxing Day, stay close to the top four.” Guardiola added that his focus is on his team’s performance, not the standings. “We’re not going to win the Premier League on Sunday. We’re not going to lose the Premier League on Sunday. So we see the team, that we are better than last season there, and we are better and continue a little bit, many good things that we have done in these two games, and continue with that1.”
A Sarcastic Jibe
Adding a layer of tension to the rivalry, Guardiola took a sarcastic jab at Arsenal’s summer spending. With the Gunners and Liverpool significantly outspending City in the transfer market, Guardiola commented on the double standard he feels his club faces. “I want to say to my friend Mikel Arteta, if he wins the title, it will be just because he spent, not because he worked a lot or his players,” he said. “It’s like Liverpool. If Arne [Slot] wins again, it will be because he spent a lot of money. Right? Because it’s not just at Man City that this happened, right?”
He went on to say that he knows how Arsenal and others have been “treated is completely different,” and that all he can say is that they “have been wise.”
As City prepares for this crucial matchup, the team’s confidence appears to be on the rise, but the battle on the pitch will be the ultimate test of their title credentials.
Leave a Reply