‘Now it’s in OUR hands’: Pep Guardiola admits Manchester City hold all the aces in the Premier League title race after brushing aside Arsenal… despite claiming their resounding 4-1 win was ‘NOT decisive’
- City took a huge step towards retaining their title by putting four past Arsenal
- They now trail Mikel Arteta’s side by just two points with as many games-in-hand
- After the win, Guardiola confessed his team are in pole position to seal the title
Pep Guardiola insisted there was nothing decisive about Manchester City’s 4-1 win over Premier League rivals Arsenal but acknowledged something big had shifted with the title now in his side’s hands.
City made light of a fixture long billed as a high-pressure title decider, with the dynamic play of Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland ripping through the Arsenal defence time and again.
City scored four – Haaland netting the last after twice setting up De Bruyne, who in turn got the assist on a John Stones header – but could have exceeded that in the first half alone on a dominant night. Rob Holding’s late goal was slim consolation for the Gunners.
Arsenal still ended the night top of the table, but their two-point advantage looks particularly vulnerable with a City side who have won seven in a row in the league boasting two games in hand.
‘It was an important game, not decisive but important,’ Guardiola said.
Pep Guardiola admits the Premier League title race is now in Manchester City’s hands
Kevin de Bruyne scored twice as City earned a crucial 4-1 victory over title rivals Arsenal
It means they now trail the Gunners by two points at the top with as many games-in-hand
‘We played very good. I know the opponent we played. They’re still top, I know it sounds naive what I’m saying but we are still behind. We are still there.’
With the exception of a few days in February after City won 3-1 at the Emirates, Arsenal have topped the Premier League table since the third week of the season.
City have been playing catch up all along with Guardiola calling Arsenal the favourites for the title, but this result convinced the Catalan he and his side are finally in the stronger position.
‘Absolutely (I prefer) my position because now it’s in our hands,’ he said.
‘I would love that these two games are six points but you have to win them, but I prefer it because it depends on us.
‘Until today, I prefer the position in the Premier League of Arsenal because if Arsenal had beaten us it’s in their hands. But now it is in our hands.’
For Arsenal this was a fourth straight game without a win, with the Gunners appearing to wilt just as City turn up the heat.
But Guardiola remains adamant there is still plenty of work for his side to do in the title race
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