Arsenal still in better position than us — Guardiola plays down Man City title chances

City's win over Arsenal at the weekend has put them in strong position to win the Premier League.

Many observers now regard City as favourites to retain the title by the end of the season. Their squad depth, experience, and proven ability to handle pressure in decisive moments have strengthened that view as the campaign enters its final stage.

Arsenal, however, have assembled an outstanding team and have been excellent for much of the season.

While questions remain about their recent trophy record compared with City, they have shown enough quality to remain firmly in contention.

The gap Arsenal once held has narrowed considerably, meaning every remaining fixture now carries enormous significance.

With so little margin for error, both sides know that any dropped points could prove costly.

Despite City’s momentum, Guardiola insists that chasing the leaders presents a more difficult challenge, both mentally and physically. He suggested that Arsenal, as the team currently top of the table, still hold the advantage.

Speaking via Hayters, Guardiola said:

“Both teams know what happened in the past, with Arsenal and with Liverpool. Both teams know they cannot lose or drop points.

It will be difficult to recover, and our calendar is so demanding, especially when the opponents are really, really tough.”He continued:

“It is more difficult [for the side chasing], mentally and physically. What happened after Arsenal, we have to go to Burnley and perform at the level we have to do.”