Guardiola Maintains Hope in Premier League Title Race

omidbasir- Pep Guardiola has conveyed that Manchester City still holds the potential to overtake Arsenal in the Premier League standings. Following a 2-1 victory against Liverpool, he cautioned their rivals that “a lot can happen in 13 games,” as his team narrowed the gap at the top of the table to six points.

City secured the win with two goals from Bernardo Silva and Erling Haaland in the final six minutes, overturning Dominik Szoboszlai’s opener in the 74th minute. This victory marks the first time in 89 years that City has achieved a league double over Liverpool.

With this win, City could reduce the deficit to three points behind Arsenal, provided they defeat Fulham at home before Arsenal’s match against Brentford on Thursday.

Guardiola stressed that the intensity of the title race gives City a viable chance to surpass Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal and emerge as champions. “We are six points behind. While that is a substantial gap, many factors can influence the outcome, so it is advantageous to secure these three points,” he stated.

He further remarked, “Who knows if six points is sufficient for Arsenal? Thirteen games is quite a stretch, and with the FA Cup and Carabao Cup final approaching, as well as the Champions League resuming in March, injuries will inevitably occur. Additionally, other teams are fighting for European positions and against relegation, making every match a challenging contest.”

“From experience, I can say that 13 games provide ample time. The run-in is incredibly demanding, but our focus must remain on staying competitive. We aim to keep pressure on Arsenal and capitalize on any mistakes they might make. We must ensure that we win when we face them at home.”

City nearly extended their lead to 3-1 in the dying moments when Rayan Cherki scored from his own half; however, the goal was disallowed due to a controversy involving a tussle between Haaland and Szoboszlai as the ball approached the net.

After a VAR review, referee Craig Pawson awarded a free-kick to City and issued a red card to Szoboszlai for denying a clear goalscoring opportunity, despite the ball crossing the line.

Guardiola expressed his disagreement with the decision, asserting that the goal should have stood and that Szoboszlai’s red card was unwarranted. “Common sense, right? There are always physical challenges in games where referees allow play to continue. Just award the goal, let the game go on, and let Szoboszlai play.”