Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has said they cannot deny how important their upcoming Premier League clash with Arsenal is.
Manchester City welcomes Arsenal to the Etihad Stadium in a potential Premier League title decider in their upcoming fixture in the English top flight. Arsenal are the current Premier League leaders and they enjoy a five-point lead over defending champions Manchester City. But Manchester City have two games in hand over the Gunners.
If Manchester City defeats Arsenal in their upcoming fixture, the destiny of the Premier League title will be in the hands of Pep Guardiola and co. But if it is Arsenal who emerges triumphant at the Etihad Stadium, the destiny of the title will be in the hands of the Gunners.
Speaking ahead of the crunch fixture against Arsenal, Pep Guardiola said they cannot deny how important it is but suggested it is not a Premier League title decider.
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Pep Guardiola: The destiny of the Premier League title will be in Manchester City’s hands if we defeat Arsenal
“My team will arrive to the end of the season knowing if they lose games it [the title race] will be over,” Pep Guardiola said [via BBC].
“That’s why in October, November you can’t have that feeling. The season we got 100 points we started the season saying ‘every game is a final’. When we started [this season] after back-to-back titles, they don’t feel like finals.”
“But now I get that feeling because it’s really close,” Pep Guardiola added. “They [Arsenal] have the chance too, the destiny will be in their hands if they win. But, if we win, destiny will be in our hands in the seven games left we have.
“It’s really important. Not decisive because there are still tough games for both sides, but we cannot deny how important it is.”
Manchester City goes into the game against Arsenal on the back of a 3-0 defeat of Sheffield United in the FA Cup semi-final. A Riyad Mahrez hat-trick saw Manchester City secure their place in the final of the competition.
Meanwhile, Arsenal heads into the match against Manchester City on the back of a disappointing 3-3 draw with Southampton in the Premier League. Southampton took a two-goal lead inside the first 14 minutes before Gabriel Martinelli halved Arsenal’s deficit in the 20th minute. The Saints re-established a two-goal lead in the second half but Arsenal scored two late goals to salvage a draw.
