Pep Guardiola has piled the pressure on Mikel Arteta ahead of the Premier League title race run-in
11:23, 09 Feb 2026
Pep Guardiola, Manager of Manchester City, reacts during the Premier League match between Liverpool and Manchester City at Anfield on February 08, 2026 in Liverpool, England
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Pep Guardiola has piled the pressure on Mikel Arteta(Image: Photo by Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
Pep Guardiola has revealed his game plan in the Premier League title race following a last-gasp 2-1 win over Liverpool. Erling Haaland fired Manchester City to victory at Anfield, reducing the gap behind Arsenal.
The Gunners went nine points clear at the top of the table on Saturday afternoon when they cruised past Sunderland at the Emirates Stadium. Seeing as Guardiola had only ever beaten the Reds once on their turf in the English top flight before their clash, Arsenal looked set to extend their lead in the title race.
But, on Sunday evening, the Manchester City boss finally won a Premier League game in front of a crowd at Anfield to maintain the six-point deficit. Speaking to reporters after the game, Guardiola said: "It is so difficult, Anfield is Anfield - the tradition, the history and the crowd.
"It always looks smaller, tighter here, and the pitch doesn't look like Etihad Stadium - and the players that they have, and everything. Of course, we would be disappointed, and all the questions would be over and over [about the title race], but six points is better than nine.
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"It is still a lot considering how strong Arsenal are in all departments. The last 10 games, from my experience, it is so difficult. The important thing is to try to be there and improve because the second half was not good enough again."
Outlining his plan to lift the Premier League trophy in May, Guardiola added: "All we can do is breathe down the neck of Arsenal and being there, try if they go slip [up] and use it."
While the Spaniard set his sights on becoming an English champion for a seventh time, he conceded that it would be an uphill battle. Guardiola said: "I have a feeling that improving a little bit will not be enough to compete against Arsenal, but still we have a margin (to improve).
"We have to (play them) at home and of course we have to beat them. And I’ve said, 13 games in the Premier League, from my point of view, from my little experience, is a lot of time, a lot.
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 8: Bernardo Silva of Manchester City celebrates during the Premier League match between Liverpool and Manchester City at Anfield on February 8, 2026 in Liverpool, United Kingdom. (Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images)
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Bernardo Silva inspired Manchester City's comeback at Liverpool (Image: Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images)
"It’s proper. When you go into the last games playing any team in a relegation battle, it’s a proper game, football game. Because they live to survive and they have long weeks to prepare.
"You come from FA Cup, you come from Carabao Cup, you come from the Champions League. That makes an influence in the title race, that’s why being nine, 10, 11 points is more difficult, that’s why all we can do is breathe down the neck of Arsenal, being there, and try if they sleep, if they make something (a mistake), use it."
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Then, in an interview with Sky Sports, Guardiola insisted there will be twists and turns in the title race. He added: "Despite what has happened today, we have many good things to fight for.
"Final of the Carabao Cup, FA Cup we are there, Champions League last 16, it’s exciting. We are six points behind Arsenal, okay it is a big gap, because they don’t concede goals, they win all their games, but many things are going to happen, I guess."
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