As Arsenal and Manchester City continue to fight in the Premier League title race, Mikel Arteta and Pep Guardiola have been told Europe's verdict on what may happen
Pep Guardiola and Mikel Arteta
Pep Guardiola and Mikel Arteta have been told who European teams believe will win the Premier League this season(Image: 2025 The Arsenal Football Club Plc)
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Portugal manager Roberto Martinez believes Champions League teams view Arsenal as being "stronger" than Manchester City. Mikel Arteta and Pep Guardiola's side are battling out a marginally close Premier League title race.
While the Gunners overcame Tottenham Hotspur 4-1, their 1-1 draw with Brentford and the shocking 2-2 away draw with rock bottom Wolverhampton Wanderers cost them huge ground. City are only five-points away from the north Londoners and hold a crucial game in hand.
Going into the final stretch of matches, many cannot decide who they believe will lift the title come the end of the season. Martinez, an FA Cup winner with Wigan Athletic, did reveal the majority of European teams believe it will be Arsenal celebrating.
Speaking on The Overlap, Martinez, who will be leading Portugal’s bid to win the World Cup this summer, said: "It’s interesting because if you ask any other Champions League team, outside the UK, everybody would tell you Arsenal look stronger than Manchester City.
"But when you understand the Premier League and you know the way Pep Guardiola works, Manchester City should be the favourites to finish the season the strongest.
"Just because of the changes of the players in the dressing room is almost like everything is coming into place. He’s also got this incredible capacity to find these tactical solutions, preparing in each game.
"When you look at it from the outside, everyone in the Champions League, all of the top clubs in the Champions League, they are highlighting Arsenal.”
When Gary Neville asked if Arsenal are seen as the most dominant team, Martinez replied: "Yes, because they beat Real Madrid the way that they did. They are a team that can defend very well without the ball, they can play with the ball and they are a complete team.
"Set-plays, I know in the UK it is different, in the Premier League, everyone works the set plays well. But in Europe, nobody can defend a corner from Arsenal, it’s a reality.
Head Coaches Pep Guardiola of Manchester City with Mikel Arteta of Arsenal during The FA Community Shield match between Manchester City against Arsenal at Wembley Stadium on August 06, 2023 in London, England
Guardiola and Arteta face each other in the League Cup final in March, before their pivotal Premier League clash the following month(Image: 2023 Robin Jones)
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"When you look at the Premier League teams against European opposition, the goals they score from dead ball situations are incredible. It’s a trend which hasn’t developed in Europe yet and that side of it can be a big strength in Europe.
"In the Premier League, I don’t even think you can call it. Even that game, Manchester City vs Arsenal, is going to have a bigger influence than we think. What is it, 90 minutes? 90 minutes could be anything. It could be about this season, a bit of luck, a bit of magic. So I think the league is going to be decided by very small margins.”
Arsenal have two massive clashes with City on the horizon. The first is on March 22 at Wembley Stadium for the League Cup final, which could have huge psychological ramifications for the rest of the season.
However, the biggest match of the campaign is expected to be the meeting between the two sides at the Etihad Stadium on April 18.
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