‘The best team in Europe so far is Arsenal’ – Guardiola explains the challenge for his Man City players after narrowing gap to Gunners

‘The best team in Europe so far is Arsenal’ – Guardiola explains the challenge for his Man City players after narrowing gap to Gunners

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola says his players will need a different mentality than they did in their Carabao Cup final win against Arsenal if they are to beat Mikel Arteta’s side again.

City moved six points behind Arsenal following their 3-0 win over Chelsea and ahead of their meeting with the league leaders at the Etihad Stadium next week, having also played a game less than their title rivals.

“We have done a good three games, but the best team in England so far is Arsenal, the best team in Europe so far is Arsenal because the numbers are there, the consistency they have,” Guardiola insisted after the win over Chelsea.

“Prepare well this week, suggest what they will adjust compared to the Carabao Cup final and what we have to do with our people to try to perform well because it is what defines teams, how you play.

“The Champions League is a completely different competition. In October, November to January and February, if you don’t grow as a team and the way you play, you don’t win.

“We have to insist to play better and better.”

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Guardiola says the shift in momentum and City now being the more in form team poses a different mental challenge for his squad.

“There isn’t one person in this room when we played at Wembley in the Carabao Cup that bet for us £1. Not even one bet for us, it was for Arsenal,” he claimed.

“We were underdogs. Now it will be a little bit different. It’s a mindset we have to work (on).

“Arsenal, and our fans, have to know and respect the team Arsenal created in the last two or three years. But football is like that. You are able to win 49 games, lose three games in the last four. Tell me a reason why. This is the business.

“I know for myself, always the warning has to be there. We have to train good, prepare good, because it will be more difficult. I know, perfectly, the manager, I know how good he is at adjusting things but at the same time, we play at home with our people, the people are proud of us again, what we have delivered the last decade, and we won one title, semi-final in the other one, in the Premier League we are there.

“That is required of the big teams. Being there. Sometimes win, sometimes not being there. The only season that happened was last season. Always we have been there and that is what we have to prepare.

“I know how tough it is. To win against Arsenal once is so difficult. 49 games they lose three in all competitions. Imagine (beating them) twice in the margin of three weeks or a month. I know how good they are.

“The momentum shifts like this (clicks fingers). In one second it shifts. The results, the performance. That was why when we win the Carabao Cup I’m happy, we can do it. But you have to do it again against a team, you see the squad, the staff. I know how difficult they are to beat.”

Guardiola also says he is encouraged by the growth he has seen from his young side in the last month.

“The Premier League is another business,” he explained. “The Premier League is how you grow the team and how good you play. If you are winning and winning when you don’t play good, you are not going to win. You cannot hide behind the results.

“Obviously results for the confidence is the most important medicine but you have to reflect on what you can do better. In the last month, the team grew up a lot.”