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Pep Guardiola feels his Manchester City side must be close to perfect between now and the end of the season in order to beat Arsenal to the Premier League crown.
Champions City trail the Gunners by eight points at the top of the Premier League, ahead of a game in hand with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Thursday evening, live on Sky Sports.
City needed to settle for a point against struggling Everton in their last game, but Arsenal’s draw against Newcastle on Tuesday gave them a chance to reduce the deficit.
Thursday, January 5, 6:30 p.m
Kick off 8:00 pm
Guardiola felt it, but his team had to work to close the gap.
“The way he played against Newcastle again impressed me a lot,” he said. “They dropped two points but they didn’t lose quality [with which] they played.
“We have to be almost perfect, I would say, from here until the end of the season and hopefully we will drop a little bit in performance.
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Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola believes that the game against Chelsea will still be difficult despite the fact that it is still there
“But, at the same time, I saw the way we played the last game, and it felt good.
“My target as a manager is to try to be myself and be better than the opponent, and if you concede one shot and score and you can’t score, you have to accept it and move on.
“What I want 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 when we can’t win. The Premier League we have to be ready to compete next season. This when the team is very good.”
Having taken the crown in four of the past five seasons, and with financial strength, Guardiola admits that his team faces a certain pressure that his team-mates are not aware of.
He added: “Arsenal and Manchester United’s advantage now is that nobody should win the Premier League by 20 points in November like Manchester City – and that’s sometimes a big problem.
“People say, ‘Ah, yes, you…’ Yes, we do, but with Arsenal winning all the games and you’re seven or eight points behind… [Arsenal winning the title] can happen.”
Pep: Foden has no evidence
Phil Foden has only started one game for City since returning from the Qatar World Cup
Phil Foden has only started one of City’s last six Premier League games, but Guardiola says that’s down to another good player, and there’s nothing he doesn’t want in the midfielder.
Asked what Foden had to do to win back his place in the starting line-up, Guardiola said: “Nothing. I chose something else. There was no particular reason. The decision to play was mine and not because he dropped anything, absolutely not. “
Mountain: No player has performed like Haaland
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Chelsea’s Mason Mount is full of praise for Manchester City striker Erling Haaland as the teams prepare to face each other in the Premier League on Thursday.
Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount tries to stop City striker Erling Haaland:
“He is a very good player. We have seen what he has done in the league this season, it will be difficult.
“We have to come together as a team and we have to be a full 11 to end up as a team.
“It’s not just him, obviously, he has a lot of good players. Coming into a game like this you have to know players like that, but don’t just focus on him.
“We know he can be dangerous, along with other players. It’s going to be a tough game, an exciting game, and that’s the kind of game you want to play.
“I don’t think anyone can score goals like him and do it the way he does. He should be up there.”
Man City’s next five games
Wednesday, January 11, 7:30 p.m
Kick off 8:00 pm
January 5: Chelsea vs Man City, kick-off 8pm, live on Sky Sports
January 8: Man City vs Chelseakick off 4.30pm, FA Cup
January 11: Southampton vs Man City, kick-off 8pm, Carabao Cup, live on Sky Sports Football
January 14: Manchester United vs Man City, kick-off 12.30pm
19 Jan: Man City vs Spurs, kick-off at 8pm, live on Sky Sports
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