Pep Guardiola makes Arsenal admission after Man City loss in honest Premier League title verdict

Pep Guardiola has insisted he is only concerned about improving Manchester City and namechecked Arsenal after his side's defeat to Aston Villa on Sunday. City slipped to a 1-0 defeat as the Gunners beat Crystal Palace by the same scoreline to move four points clear at the top of the table.

Guardiola’s side have history of chasing down Arsenal in the title race, memorably overhauling them in the 2023-24 season, and look set to have to do it again if they want to get their hands on the trophy. But the City boss is not getting too worried just yet.

“Arsenal have been solid for many years, this time the concern is how we can improve, better, better, better and to be close,” he said after a third successive loss at Villa Park. “From my experience it (the season) is so long. So long. This is my experience. There are many teams there.

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“I was worried before the international break (September) when we were 14th in the table. If they win all their games and win the Premier League, congratulate them, that’s all we can do.

“But I have to feel the team is alive, the team is good. I don’t know how many teams can come here and play the way we played, with the courage, possession and chances. We have to be stable with that. And after that, to deal with games better.

“But I don’t live in October and November thinking, ‘Oh what is going to happen if we don’t win the Premier League’, so it’s game by game now.”

Villa celebrated Unai Emery’s three-year anniversary in style as Matty Cash’s first-half fizzer gave was enough for them a fourth successive Premier League win. City were stifled excellently by a perfect Villa gameplan and Erling Haaland was stopped from scoring for just the second time this season in all competitions, ending a 12-game spree for club and country.

The Norwegian thought he had levelled at the end but it was ruled offside as he collided with the post. Guardiola added: “I didn’t speak with him. He got a knock into the post, right, I didn’t speak to him.

“We have scored a lot of goals this season, Erling of course. We have to make a step up but today was difficult because they defended very well. We were there, we were close. In the games we won we were not so productive."