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Posted on February 21, 2026 6:00 pm | Updated on February 21, 2026 11:11 am
Pep Guardiola has made it clear that he does not care at all about Arsenal dropping points in the fight for the Premier League title. Arsenal were on top for a long time in the title race, but recent mistakes have given City new hope.
Arsenal’s Costly Slip-Ups
Arsenal started the season strongly and built a big lead at the top of the table. But things changed in the last few weeks. They drew 2-2 with bottom-placed Wolves in midweek after leading 2-0. They also drew with Brentford earlier. These results cost them important points. The fans call it a stumble because Arsenal and Mikel Arteta dropped points against teams they were expected to beat easily.
Arsenal sit on 58 points after 27 games. Manchester City have 53 points after 26 games. That means City are just five points behind and have one extra game to play. If City win that game in hand, they will move much closer. Still, Pep Guardiola wants his team to think only about the next match. With 12 games left, he says anything can happen
City Smell a Chance
The draws by Arsenal have given Manchester City fresh life in the title race. City have won their last two league games and look sharp again. Big players like Erling Haaland are back from injury, and Savinho is fit too. A win against Newcastle this Saturday at home would cut the gap to just two points. Arsenal then play Tottenham in the North London derby on Sunday. It is a big weekend for both teams.
Pep Guardiola knows his side has a home game against Arsenal in April. That could be a key moment. But he is not getting excited yet.
Guardiola’s Straight Talk
Speaking to reporters on Friday, Guardiola was very clear. “I didn’t talk about the table, or our position or something like that. I could not care less,” he said. He told his players to think only about Newcastle. “Just Newcastle, Newcastle, Newcastle.” He added that 12 games is “an eternity” and many things will happen before the season ends. He will only answer questions about the title when two or three games are left.
Guardiola has won six Premier League titles in his 10 years at City. He has seen Arsenal throw away big leads in 2023 and 2024. He knows the final months are full of surprises.
🚨🗣️ Pep Guardiola: "The Premier League title race with Arsenal? I didn't speak one second about that with my players."
"Yesterday and the day before, it's just Newcastle, Newcastle, and Newcastle. I didn't talk about the table, I didn't talk about our position. I could not… pic.twitter.com/701Q3XRVI1
— The Touchline | 𝐓 (@TouchlineX) February 20, 2026
New Players Need Calm
About 70 per cent of City’s squad are new this season. They do not have experience of fighting for the title right to the end. Guardiola does not want to put extra pressure on them by talking about the table now. He wants them fresh and focused. The team had a rare few days off midweek and looked better in the FA Cup win over Salford.
What Comes Next?
This weekend’s games will tell us more. City must beat Newcastle to keep the pressure on. Arsenal face a tough derby against Tottenham. Both teams still have hard matches ahead, including games in the Champions League. If City win all their remaining 12 games, they will be champions for the fifth time in six seasons. But Guardiola says no one knows what will happen. Arsenal can still win many games in a row too.
Arsenal Title Race in Question
The title race is wide open again. The fans are excited because both teams are strong and the gap is small. One bad result can change everything. Guardiola’s message is simple: play the next game well and forget the rest for now. That calm approach has worked for him many times before. Whether it works again this year, only time will tell.
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