Pep Guardiola - Arsenal
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Arsenal’s electric start to the 2025/26 Premier League campaign has firmly established them as the team to beat.
The Gunners have dropped points in only two of their opening fixtures, a narrow loss to Liverpool at Anfield and a tense home draw against Manchester City, but since then, Mikel Arteta’s men have been flawless, stringing together a dominant run that has them looking every bit like title favourites.
Sunday’s 3–1 win for City over Bournemouth wasn’t enough to close the gap, with Arsenal maintaining a six-point cushion at the summit. Their consistency and resilience have turned heads across the football world including that of City boss Pep Guardiola, who has openly admired their current form.
Arsenal’s efficiency at both ends of the pitch has been extraordinary. Their recent victory over Burnley saw them break the Premier League record for the most set-piece goals in the first ten matches of a season, while defensively they remain nearly impenetrable, conceding just three goals so far.
READ MORE: David Raya reveals the defensive masterstroke Mikel Arteta added to Arsenal last summer
Guardiola, aware of the formidable challenge Arsenal pose, praised the North Londoners’ all-round excellence but remains confident his side can still reel them in as the season progresses.
Pep Guardiola on the Premier League title race after another weekend where Arsenal win and keep a clean sheet… 🤣 pic.twitter.com/AlgKu26oFs
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“We are six points behind Arsenal, who look unstoppable right now because they play fantastic,” he said in a press conference, as per HaytersTV. “They don’t concede goals, they are so solid, they can score from many different situations, positions and many players.
“But even with that, I think when we make this step a little bit better (more players start scoring), we will be closer, games will be more tighter and we will be able to win.”
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The Spaniard even injected some humour into his post-match reflections after City’s win at the Etihad, where he quipped:“Hopefully Arsenal can concede a goal one day.”
The tongue-in-cheek remark underscored a growing frustration among rival managers, as Arsenal continue to post record-breaking defensive numbers. Arteta’s side have now gone seven matches without conceding, a run that has left opponents searching for answers.
Despite the light-hearted jab, Guardiola’s comments carried respect for the structure and discipline his former assistant has instilled at the Emirates. While he acknowledged Arsenal’s strength, he was quick to reaffirm City’s ambition to bridge the gap, insisting his team remain focused on regaining momentum in the title race.
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