Pep Guardiola has admitted that Manchester City could see their Premier League title hopes slip away if they lose to Arsenal in Sunday’s crucial showdown.
Gatekeepers News reports that speaking ahead of the clash, Guardiola said defeat would effectively hand the advantage to the Gunners, who currently sit six points clear at the top of the table.
“If we lose, yeah, it’s over,” Guardiola said during his pre-match press conference on Friday.
However, the City boss noted that even a victory would not settle the race, stressing that there is still significant work to be done in the remaining fixtures.
Mikel Arteta’s side hold a commanding lead, though City have the benefit of playing at home and still have a game in hand. Wins against Arsenal and struggling Burnley could see City return to the top of the table for the first time in months.
Arsenal, chasing their first league title in 22 years, have shown signs of inconsistency in recent weeks. A defeat to City in the League Cup final last month was followed by a run of just one win in five matches across all competitions.
Despite this, Guardiola remains cautious, highlighting the difficulty of City’s upcoming fixtures, including away trips to Everton and Bournemouth.
“But the other two results, knowing that Arsenal didn’t win (against) Bournemouth, we still have games to play,” he added. “Six games is a lot, given our calendar (run-in) especially.”
Arsenal have also faced a demanding schedule, recently overcoming Sporting Lisbon to reach the Champions League semi-finals. Arteta praised his players for navigating a packed calendar across multiple competitions.
Guardiola acknowledged Arsenal’s performances this season, describing them as the best team in England so far, while warning his players not to lose focus amid the title race pressure.
“They have been the best so far, but we want to challenge them,” he said. “It is just a football game… If you get distracted by emotions, that is how you lose focus.”
Meanwhile, City striker Erling Haaland described the encounter as decisive.
“It’s a massive game without a doubt… It’s like a final,” Haaland told Sky Sports. “These are the games you want to play, and these are the moments you want to be in.”
Guardiola also provided a squad update, confirming that Nico O’Reilly is fit despite picking up a knock in last weekend’s 3-0 win over Chelsea, while captain Ruben Dias remains sidelined.
