Manager of Manchester City, Pep Guardiola, has admitted that defeat to Arsenal on Sunday could effectively end his side’s Premier League title hopes.
Speaking ahead of the high-stakes clash, Guardiola said: “If we lose, yeah, it’s over.”
Arsenal, led by Mikel Arteta, currently sit six points clear at the top of the table. However, City have the advantage of playing at home and still hold a game in hand.
A victory for Guardiola’s side against Arsenal, followed by a win at struggling Burnley on Wednesday, could see City climb to the summit for the first time in months.
Despite the potential swing in momentum, Guardiola cautioned that even a win would not settle the title race, noting the challenges that lie ahead.
“But the other two results, knowing that Arsenal didn’t win (against) Bournemouth, we still have games to play.
“Six games is a lot, given our calendar (run-in) especially,” he said.
Arsenal, chasing their first league title in 22 years, have shown signs of fatigue in recent weeks, managing just one win in their last five matches across all competitions following their League Cup final defeat to City.
The Gunners also had a demanding midweek fixture, edging past Sporting Lisbon to reach the UEFA Champions League semi-finals, while City have benefited from a full week’s preparation.
Guardiola acknowledged Arsenal’s form this season, describing them as the benchmark team so far, while urging his players to remain focused.
“They have been the best so far, but we want to challenge them,” he said.
“I said today to the players, ‘It is just a football game,’ and we have to approach it like a football game. If you get distracted by emotions, that is how you lose focus.
“What is the target? It is to perform well, and that is exactly what you have got to do in all the aspects required to challenge a team like Arsenal.”
City striker Erling Haaland also underlined the importance of the fixture, describing it as decisive in the title race.
“It’s a massive game without a doubt. We all know the importance of this game. It’s like a final,” he told Sky Sports.
“It’s probably the biggest and the best game there will be, so hopefully it can be an amazing game.
“These are the games you want to play, and these are the moments you want to be in.”
On team news, Guardiola confirmed that Nico O’Reilly, who scored twice in the League Cup final, is fit despite picking up a knock in last weekend’s 3-0 win over Chelsea.
However, captain Ruben Dias remains unavailable due to injury.
