Pep Guardiola Ready to Enjoy Liverpool-Arsenal Showdown with City Sitting at the Summit
Pep Guardiola can sit back on Sunday afternoon and enjoy Liverpool’s clash with Arsenal, knowing his Manchester City side currently lead the Premier League.
City’s hard-fought victory over Southampton on Saturday allowed them to overtake Liverpool at the top, putting the pressure on the Reds as they head to third-placed Arsenal. Elsewhere, both Aston Villa and Brighton had chances to advance in the top five but were held in their respective matches. These results, Guardiola said, prove that nothing in the Premier League can be taken for granted.
“I will watch it,” Guardiola said of the highly anticipated Liverpool-Arsenal match. “I prefer to be top rather than not, but it’s not a problem. Look at what happens today—Aston Villa drop points, Brighton drop points. It’s so difficult. We won at Wolves in the 95th minute. Today, we had chances and could have scored two, three, or four. But I have to admit, today was a demanding game for us.”
Guardiola added that he values City’s ability to secure wins, even in tight contests, like their recent matches against Wolves and Southampton. The focus, he noted, is on collecting three points rather than chasing high-scoring wins.
City defender Josko Gvardiol echoed this sentiment, explaining that close competition keeps the league exciting. “To be fair, I would like to be 15 or 20 points clear of [Liverpool and Arsenal], but we all know that’s not going to happen. That’s why this is the best and most interesting league in the world. Whoever you play against, it’s not easy.”
Gvardiol emphasized the Premier League’s competitive nature: “Even with the Wolves game, some people would say we struggled. This is the Premier League—all you need is three points. I don’t care about winning 5-0, 6-0, or 7-0. All I need is three points, and that’s what matters.”
