As the 2025/26 Premier League season enters the critical January stretch, Manchester City finds itself in an uncharacteristically stuttering position. The frustrating 1-1 draw against Brighton on Wednesday night becomes City’s third consecutive stalemate. Pep Guardiola delivered a blunt assessment of his team’s pursuit of title race against league leaders Arsenal.
The Reality Check at the Etihad
Erling Haaland netting his 150th goal for the club from the penalty spot. However, City failed to kill off a resilient Brighton side. A late equalizer by Kaoru Mitoma left the reigning champions five points adrift of Arsenal. Moreover, they are still holding a game in hand.
When questioned about the pressure of the title race and the widening gap at the summit, Guardiola was dismissive of long-term projections. “Of course, if we don’t win games, we cannot think about these things,” he stated. “The result is the result. I am not a person who believes what we have done isn’t fair, but we must score our chances.”
🚨👀#Guardiola: “when he started with Arsenal, the first season was tough. It was normal, he had to change many things.
People started to criticise him, I said the same opinion that I have right now – he will have success. He’s a top manager. I know him, I’ve been with him.”#afc pic.twitter.com/S07FetFFYd
— AFCtrey (@afct_rey) January 7, 2026
Performance vs. Points
Guardiola maintained that while he was “exceptionally pleased” with the performance levels, the lack of clinical finishing has become a systemic issue. City dominated possession and registered 22 shots, yet they couldn’t find the decisive second goal.
“It’s simple,” Guardiola added. “The energy and the way we play will create chances, but scoring goals is part of doing your job. If you don’t do that, you don’t deserve the title.”
🇪🇸🗣️ Arteta on Guardiola: "Someone that I met when I was 15-years-old. He was my hero as a player. We ended up working together and having one of the best times of my life… if I'm sitting in the chair that I'm sitting in today, it's a big thanks to him." ❤️ (@SkySports) pic.twitter.com/1spFq4AgrX
— EuroFoot (@eurofootcom) November 21, 2025
Arsenal’s Advantage and City’s Injury Woes
The draw puts Arsenal in a commanding position. A win against Liverpool on Thursday could see the Mikel Arteta move eight points clear. Compounding City’s misery is a growing injury list. This includes Savinho ruled out for two months alongside key defenders Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol.
The imminent arrival of Antoine Semenyo from Bournemouth offers hope. However, the message of Pep Guardiola message remains clear. Unless City returns to winning ways immediately, any talk of a fifth consecutive title is premature and Arsenal will keep leading the race.
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