Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has argued that Arsenal do not face the same pressure as his side chase Premier League glory.
Mikel Arteta’s Gunners are eight points clear at the top of the table over City, who have the chance to cut the gap to five when they play against a struggling Chelsea side on Thursday evening.
Guardiola sees it as a must-win game as he challenges his City side to be as close to perfect as possible in their bid to reclaim top spot.
“We have to be almost perfect from here until the end of the season and hopefully they will drop off a bit,” the boss said. “But, at the same time, I look at the way we played the last game, and the feeling is good.
“My goal as a manager is always to try to be myself and be better than the opposition, and if you concede a shot and they score and we can’t score, you have to accept it. Have to do and move on.
“What I want to see is that we are still fighting, don’t give up, not now, until the last chance, until the last drop of water we can fight to win the Premier League, and the moment we are not able to win. “The Premier League is what we have to be ready to compete for next season. That’s when the teams are really good.”
Guardiola has argued that no team in England is under as much pressure as City, who he claims should be top of the Premier League table by this point in the season.
“Arsenal and Manchester United have the advantage at the moment that nobody has to win the Premier League in November by 20 points like Manchester City have to – and that’s a big problem sometimes,” he said. Continued.
“People say, ‘Ah, yes, you are…’ Yes, we are, but Arsenal have won all their games and you are seven or eight points behind… [Arsenal winning the title] May be.”