The Manchester City boss insists the long season is far from over, despite his team falling six points behind the Gunners after a defeat to Aston Villa.
After watching his Manchester City side fall six points behind Premier League leaders Arsenal, manager Pep Guardiola insisted it is far too soon for any title-race alarm bells to be ringing.
The gap opened after City suffered a 1-0 defeat at a vibrant Aston Villa, while Arsenal secured their own narrow win against Crystal Palace on Sunday. Despite the growing deficit and memories of last season’s successful chase of the Gunners, Guardiola urged perspective.
“From my experience, it [the season] is so long. So long,” Guardiola stated, reflecting on the standings. “I don’t live in October and November thinking, ‘Oh, what is going to happen if we don’t win the Premier League.'”
While he acknowledged Arsenal’s strength, his focus remained firmly on his own team’s performance. “Arsenal have been solid for many years,” he said. “This time the concern is how we can improve, better, better, better and to be close… If they win all their games and win the Premier League, congratulate them, that’s all we can do.”
The immediate concern for City is their form, after being expertly stifled by a Villa side celebrating manager Unai Emery’s three-year anniversary. A first-half goal from Matty Cash was enough to secure the points, with City’s Erling Haaland uncharacteristically quiet and seeing a late goal disallowed for offside.
For Villa, the victory marks a stunning continuation of their rise under Emery and a statement that their early-season doubts are firmly in the past. For Guardiola and City, the message is to trust a long-term process rather than panic over an early-season points gap.
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