Pep Guardiola makes claim about the title race following Manchester City’s victory over Arsenal in the FA Cup
Pep Guardiola could celebrate Manchester City’s FA Cup victory over Arsenal on Friday night, but he dismissed the notion that the 1-0 victory will have any bearing on the Premier League title race.
Nathan Ake’s goal in the 64th minute advanced City to the fourth round of the cup, but they had to fight for it. Guardiola admitted he was surprised by Mikel Arteta’s man-to-man marking, which disrupted City’s flow.
“It was a tight game, a difficult opponent,” Guardiola said. “The second half was better apart from 10 minutes after the goal.
“I didn’t expect this approach, the man-to-man. It made the process difficult. In the second half we had to contact more than usual with Erling (Haaland), it is what we had to do. But it is a victory, the next round, we will see what we have to do.”
In an effort to circumvent Arsenal’s press, City consistently employed long passes, particularly in the first half.
However, this did not play to Haaland’s strengths as he struggled to control the ball, and Arsenal had the better opportunities before halftime.
Just before the hour mark, the introduction of Julian Alvarez and Kyle Walker proved pivotal as City found a way through. Ake scored after the Argentine’s long-range shot rebounded off a post, with Jack Grealish retrieving the ball to set him up.
City, who trail Arsenal by five points in the Premier League, will travel to the Emirates on February 15; however, Guardiola does not believe this result will be significant.
“I am pretty sure both teams are going to adjust something,” he said. “I have the feeling now they are going to do something differently.”
Pep Guardiola makes claim about the title race following Manchester City’s victory over Arsenal in the FA Cup
