“I have revealed Arsenal secret to them and if they follow my instructions they’ll beat them 6-0…I know I shouldn’t be doing this, but in the game of football there’s no friend or brother”: Pep Gaurdiorla reveals he has told Tottenham player the only ONLY Arsenal player they need stop and beat the Gunners 6-0
Arsenal cannot afford to lose at Spurs – Pep Guardiola is unbeatable once he is out in front
City manager’s astonishing record when leading a title race suggests Mikel Arteta is already facing a critical week in his side’s season.
Here is a scenario. Manchester City beat Brentford at home on Saturday – not an unreasonable assumption, as the bookmakers’ odds will reflect, despite Thomas Frank’s losing only 1-0 at the Etihad Stadium last season and winning there 2-1 in the previous campaign.
Then, the following day, Arsenal battle to a draw away to Tottenham Hotspur in the north London derby. Without the suspended Declan Rice and the (probably) injured Martin Odegaard, it is a good result.
On Thursday, they face a tricky Champions League tie against Europa League winners Atalanta in Bergamo. City have an even more challenging game against AC Milan, but they are at home 24 hours earlier.
Then on Sunday, having played three home games since the international break compared to Arsenal’s three away, an Erling Haaland-inspired City run out narrow winners over Mikel Arteta’s side at the Etihad.
None of that is improbable and it does not point to Arsenal blowing up but, suddenly, and after just five Premier League games, they would be seven points (and potentially eight if they lose to Tottenham) behind the champions. Mind the gap? It might already be too much!
After all, when was the last time a Pep Guardiola side surrendered a seven-point advantage at any stage in a season? He has claimed 12 league titles in the past 15 campaigns at Barcelona, Bayern Munich and City. In two of the other three seasons he was always way off the pace with City, finishing third in his first season, 2016-17, 15 points behind champions Chelsea, and 18 points in arrears when Liverpool won in 2019-20.