Manager of Manchester City F.C., Pep Guardiola, has dismissed suggestions that Arsenal’s recent dip in form has altered his approach to the Premier League title race, insisting his focus remains solely on his team’s immediate fixtures.
City had appeared to be trailing significantly after inconsistent results allowed Arsenal F.C. to seize the initiative. However, draws against Wolves and Brentford have handed the defending champions renewed hope.
The reigning champions now sit five points behind Arsenal with a game in hand and a crucial home clash against Mikel Arteta’s side scheduled for April. Victory in their remaining 12 matches would secure a fifth league crown in six seasons for Guardiola’s team.
Despite the improved outlook, Guardiola played down talk of the standings ahead of Saturday’s encounter with Newcastle United F.C..
“I didn’t talk about the table, or our position or something like that. I could not care less,” he told reporters. “Just Newcastle, Newcastle, Newcastle.
“If you ask me this question with two or three games left, I will have your answer. It’s 12 games left, it’s an eternity.”
Guardiola, who has won six league titles during his tenure at City, cautioned that the closing stages of the campaign often bring unexpected turns. He also recalled previous seasons in which Arsenal surrendered commanding leads, enabling City to lift the trophy in 2023 and 2024.
“Many things are going to happen until the end of the season. For now it is Newcastle, a rest and after it Leeds. It has always been like that,” he said, adding that several members of his current squad lack experience in navigating tight title run-ins.
He noted that Arsenal once held a nine-point advantage while City had a game in hand, stressing that the situation remains fluid until all teams have played the same number of matches.
Guardiola also addressed the broader issue of racism in football following allegations involving Vinícius Júnior during a Champions League match between Real Madrid CF and S.L. Benfica. The Brazilian forward claimed he was racially abused by Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni, prompting a temporary halt to the game in accordance with UEFA regulations.
“There is a lot of work still to do. It is in society, it is not just in football. Racism is everywhere,” Guardiola said. “You pretend that racism is just for the colour of the skin? How you behave is racism. It’s how you pretend you are better than the other one just for many reasons.”
