Guardiola has told Arsenal they will have to “fight” to take the crown.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola fires a title warning ahead of Wednesday night’s top-of-the-table clash with title favourites Arsenal.
Man City and Arsenal separate each other by just three points. Arsenal dropped points in the last two games and it helped Man City to reduce the gap. Meanwhile, Arsenal have one game in hand.
Victory for either side could prove monumental in their title bids. Arsenal could extend their lead to six points, while City could climb above Arsenal to the number one spot on goal difference should they snatch a win.
The Sky Blues are looking to win the trophy for a third successive season, while Arsenal are chasing their first league title since 2004.
Guardiola has told Arsenal they will have to “fight” to take the crown, insisting his side will fight until the last day to defend their title.
“The biggest motivation is that I don’t want to drop the Premier League just because we are not who we are,” Guardiola said (via the Guardian).
“If they beat us because they are better then this is sport, I’ll be the first to congratulate them, as I’ve always done. But not because we are not there.
“You want it? OK, fight. Take it. It’s in our hands. We’ll defend this title until the last day. This is what I’d like. To fight to the maximum to try to retain the title.
“If we don’t, accept it. But we need to give our best. My players have to feel that every day.”
When asked whether his message to his players will be to enjoy the occasion at the Emirates, Guardiola said: “I don’t know if enjoy is the right word.
“We have to be so aggressive, handle the rhythm and pressure. They are going to create pressure on us through the fans, the referee, the players. We have to be so active in many things.”
See More:
- Guardiola has apologized to Steven Gerrard for the comments he had passed
- Rodri urges team to bring their champion mentality at Emirates
