As the race for the title heats up, Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has spoken out on the unrealistic expectations his side faces in comparison to Arsenal and Manchester United.
The current Premier League champions reduced the gap to leaders Arsenal to within five points following a 1-0 win over Chelsea on Thursday evening.
However, Guardiola believes the weight of expectation on him and his players could damage their title hopes, and plays into the hands of Arsenal and Manchester United.
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Erik ten Hag's latest win over Bournemouth takes them within four points of their local rivals, and level with Newcastle United.
"It's a big problem," claims Guardiola
Guardiola had this to say following his side's disappointing 1-1 draw with Everton: "The advantage of Arsenal and Manchester United right now is nobody has to win the Premier League for 20 points ahead in November like Man City has to – and this is sometimes a big problem."
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He continued: “People say, ‘Ah, yes, but you are City!’ But with Arsenal winning all their games and you are eight points behind, it can happen [Manchester City not winning the title]."
Managers have often felt the pressure at the Etihad, leading to the dismissal of both Roberto Mancini and Manuel Pellegrini. However, should City catch Arsenal, Guardiola could lead them to an impressive fifth Premier League title in their last six seasons.
Guardiola praises Arsenal
Following Arsenal's goalless draw with Newcastle on Tuesday, Guardiola dismissed the idea that the result would instigate the Gunners' downfall.
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“Why? The way they played against Newcastle again impressed me a lot. They dropped two points but they didn’t drop the quality [with which] they played," the Manchester City boss said.
“This is my feeling. I don’t know what is going to happen in the future, but when you play [them] the smell of the history of Arsenal has to be there. Their history is bigger than Man City," he added.
“We have to reduce the gap by playing good and winning games. They could do more than 100 points if they keep this average and then we will not catch them. So we have to be almost perfect and hope they drop. They were excellent [against Newcastle],” Guardiola concluded.
Manchester City travel to Old Trafford next in the Premier League for what promises to be a cracker. Guardiola's side came away 6-3 winners last time the pair met at the Etihad, but one would expect a more equal contest this time round.
Featured Image Credit: AlamyTopics: Pep Guardiola, Manchester City, Arsenal, Manchester United, Mikel Arteta, Erik Ten Hag, Premier League, Newcastle United, Everton