Pep Guardiola admits Arsenal have one thing Manchester City do not have
Pep Guardiola, the manager of Manchester City, has acknowledged that Arsenal may possess a significant advantage over his team in the race for the Premier League title.
Manchester City faced a typical challenge at Selhurst Park, where they controlled the game but found it difficult to score until the closing stages.
By earning a penalty kick after Ilkay Gundogan, the team’s captain, was fouled, Manchester City had a valuable chance to secure three points in south London.
Erling Haaland proved to be the hero of the match, as the Norwegian striker calmly scored the decisive goal, marking his 28th goal of the ongoing Premier League season and securing the victory.
With the win, Manchester City closed the gap to three points behind their title rivals. However, Arsenal demonstrated their clinical edge with a 3-0 victory over Fulham at Craven Cottage on Sunday afternoon.
After Manchester City’s hard-fought 1-0 win over Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park, Pep Guardiola acknowledged that Arsenal are still the favorites to win the league and possess an advantage that his team does not have.
“Still, Arsenal are the favourites because they are in front, they have five points in front,” said the Manchester City manager. “They have made an incredible first-leg (of the season), they dropped a little bit but they came back again.”
“They have had many years not winning the Premier League, and this extra wins you games in the 93rd minute, 96th minute, sorry 98th minute. So that is something they have that we don’t have because we won back-to-back two times.”
Guardiola continued, “That’s why when people say what is your opinion about the team or the season, after two times winning back-to-back (Premier League titles), against one team who made 50 points in the first-leg, still: We. Are. There.”
Following his admission about Arsenal’s advantage, Pep Guardiola quickly added that he has great confidence in his team of players. He emphasized that it’s important for Arsenal to know that Manchester City will continue to fight until the end of the season for the Premier League title, showing an unyielding determination to win.
“Normally in this country, when you win something a lot and you start to not start well a season, or someone is maybe better, you drop it. You are not this consistency. And still we are there. This is the best trophy, and compliment, that we can have.”
“I don’t know what is going to happen at the end of the season. But still they know that we want to be there, and we will fight to be there, and this is great.”
Pep Guardiola admits Arsenal have one thing Manchester City do not have
