Manchester City Boss, Pep Guardiola Drops Verdict On Arsenal Amid Premier League Title Hunt

Arsenal since climbing onto the top of the table has remained and maintained their lead after every weekend as Guardiola believes they deserve what they are getting.

Speaking on the title race, Guardiola said; “We could be top of the league! But Arsenal have been exceptional.

“So I think yesterday one guy on my staff told me that we had more points in the Premier League [at this stage of the season] than I think in the last four seasons.

“So that means we have been really good, but another team has been better. We have to accept it. This is the level, the bar, the standards.

“But of course to manage Champions League qualification in this period and not be far, far away from the top of the league, this is the situation.

“Yesterday I could say ‘Oh if we are not qualified, we have one more week of holiday’ but it will be good for Sergio [Gomez], Riyad [Mahrez], Erling [Haaland] who don’t go to the World Cup.

“Before we go to Leeds in the first [Premier League] game after the World Cup, they will have a rhythm of one game [from the Carabao Cup].”

Asked about Arsenal and Chelsea’s eviction from the Carabao cup, Guardiola continued “Yeah we’ll be champions already, yeah. Thank you.

“We’re confident for the fact that it doesn’t matter. I’ve said from day one, if we play a friendly game, Carabao Cup, Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup: we play to win the game.

“And this is the standard we are going to set in this club. Consistency in every competition, we have to do our job. After we can lose, of course, but we played today to win the game, being who we are.”