Pep Guardiola was left reeling at the weekend as he watched his Manchester City team slump to their fourth consecutive Premier League defeat.
City have now lost four league games in a row, one of the longest losing runs for a defending champion.
It feels like it’s all doom and gloom at the Etihad right now, but speaking on BBC 606, Pep Guardiola has tried to put something of a positive spin on this situation.
Indeed, Guardiola maintains that City aren’t that far off at the moment, noting that they’re only two points behind Arsenal right now.
Guardiola actually reserved some praise for Arsenal after losing to Liverpool, stating that the Gunners are a fantastic team, expressing some pride that City are still quite close to the north London club.
Pep Guardiola the manager of Manchester City applauds their support after the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Manchester City at Anfi...
Photo by Alex Livesey – Danehouse/Getty Images
Pep Guardiola calls Arsenal fantastic
Guardiola shared his verdict on Arsenal after his team’s defeat to Liverpool.
Guardiola called Arsenal a fantastic team, in his interview with the BBC.
“But the situation for the beginning was difficult for many reasons, for injuries, people late, people was not completely ready because exhausted from the success for many, many, many reasons,” Guardiola said.
“And now in the end we are only two points away from a fantastic team like Arsenal after losing I don’t know how many games. So we are not far away. The problem is the team Liverpool that all the games in Champions League here just lost is just to congratulate them. That’s why it’s not about to talk about the perspective, the future, what do you have to win. It’s how to recover, come back and the players say, you know, the responsibility.”
Arsenal’s form compared to Manchester City
Manchester City have been a serious thorn in Arsenal’s side for a long time now, but, in recent weeks, the Gunners have been out-performing the Cityzens.
Indeed, a quick look at the two sides’ form shows that the tables have turned in this rivalry as of late.
Last five games Games Wins Draws Losses Points
Manchester City 5 1 0 4 3
Arsenal 5 2 2 1 8
Of course, Arsenal know better than any other team that you have to be a fool to write off this City side.
Guardiola’s team have been behind Arsenal before only to roar back in the latter stages of a season, and as unlikely as that seems right now, you can’t discount City’s title chances.
As Guardiola says, Arsenal are a fantastic team, but they’re still only two points ahead of this stuggling City side, and, more poignantly, they’re nine points behind Liverpool who are threatening to run away with the title this season.
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