Pep Guardiola explains why Arsenal are facing a different Man City beast in title race

Manchester City are hot on Arsenal’s heels at the top of the Premier League and many point to their experience as a factor in the title race – but this isn’t the same Pep Guardiola outfit

Pep Guardiola has been here many times before. Many times. In 16 seasons as a manager of a professional football club, he has won 12 league titles. In the other four seasons, his team finished second twice and third twice.

It is a remarkable record. He will be his usual animated self in the technical area over the next few weeks but nothing will faze Guardiola in this particular run-in. The same might not apply to some of his players.

They are on a rich, if relatively short, run of domestic form. Since the Champions League loss to Real Madrid, everything seems to have clicked into gear. But the Premier League stakes have changed. Beat Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium and win the remaining six Premier League fixtures and the title should be City’s.

Lose and it’s over, as Pep said on Friday. And what intrigues Guardiola is that a fair-sized knot of his team have not been in this position before.

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It is almost as though he is setting a challenge for the players who are leading City into a new era. Guardtiola said: “Ederson, Gundo (Ilkay Gundogan), Kevin (De Bruyne), Kyle (Walker), Manu (Manuel Akanji) – a lot of players that made a lot for thing here are not here anymore.

“Most of them are new and now we will see. For example, (Rayan) Cherki has not won the Premier League. How is he going to behave in that position? Gigio (Gianluigi Donnarumma) has never been here. Khusa (Abdukodir Khusanov) has never been here.

“It’s the first time Nico is really, really there. Antoine (Semenyo) arrived a month ago. Marc Guehi arrived weeks ago. There are a lot of players who are going to play that can maybe win the first Premier League title in their lives. How they behave, I don’t know.”

But, of course, there are players whose behaviour will be familiar to Guardiola. Bernardo Silva has won 16 trophies with Manchester City (not counting the Community Shield) and haas two more in his sights before he leaves at the end of his ninth season at the club.

Guardiola said: “Hopefully, we can deliver for him, he’s going to help us, I know that. He’s a special player. Hopefully we can deliver a good month, a few days, because he deserves it, he deserves the best.”

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As another one of Guardiola’s trusted lieutenants departs, it is hard not to wonder if this season might be Pep’s last. But, interestingly, Guardiola allowed himself a look into the future om the eve of the crucial meeting with Arsenal.

He said: “I think we have been really, really good. We have been a team, like I felt, we grew up. We are getting better, getting better. And for the next season will be good, you know.”

Guardiola has repeatedly made the point that Arsenal will have extra motivation because it has been 22 years since they last won the Premier League. But most observers are now favouring City because they have won so many titles in the Guardiola era.

But he says that counts for very little. “The confidence from the six Premier Leagues that we won in the past, or the Carabao Cup win against them, that does not give you the confidence to win the next game,” he said. “And as high (stakes) as it is, it’s just a football game.”

Fair enough. But it is a football game that could define the Premier League season. And with his restructured City taking shape, it is clearly one that Guardiola is looking forward to. The stage is set and you get the feeling Guardiola expects his new guard to be up to the challenge.

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