“After seven years, they won" - Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola makes cheeky Arsenal UCL comment ahead of West Ham game
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola recently insisted that Arsenal securing a spot in next season's UEFA Champions League is their most important feat this campaign.
The Gunners have been in exceptional form this season under Mikel Arteta, dominating the top of the Premier League table. However, the north London outfit have had a momentary slump in form recently, causing them to lose their position as the league leaders.
Arsenal failed to secure a victory in back-to-back games against Liverpool, West Ham United, and Southampton. The Gunners then suffered a brutal 4-1 loss at the hands of Manchester City on 27 April, allowing Guardiola's side to leapfrog them to the top of the league.
Arsenal are currently first in the standings after their rejuvenating 3-1 win against Chelsea at the Emirates. However, they are only two points ahead of second-placed Manchester City, who have two games in hand.
The Cityzens are set to face West Ham United on May 2 and a win would reclaim the No.1 position in the league table. Ahead of the encounter, Guardiola said in a press conference (as quoted by talkSPORT):
"Maybe the mood there [at Arsenal] is a bit down. After seven years, they won the most important title – to qualify for the Champions League. Financially, for new signings. I’m pretty sure they have to be so happy, because they make an incredible achievement.”
Arsenal have not featured in the UEFA Champions League since the 2016-17 campaign when they were brutally knocked out by Bayern Munich in the round of 16 (10-2 on aggregate).
"For sure" - Mikel Arteta delivers emphatic message over title race against Manchester City after Arsenal's win over Chelsea
The Gunners got themselves back on track after a great 3-1 victory against Chelsea, thanks to a brace from Martin Odegaard and a goal from Gabriel Jesus. As the north London outfit resume their title push, Arteta has sent a confident message to rivals Manchester City.
When asked whether the players still believe the title race is not over yet, the Spanish boss said in a post-match press conference (as quoted by the club's official website):
"For sure. We discussed that. We are at the top right now, we have four games to go. We have to prepare for Newcastle now. Let’s see what happens, what we can control is to win our matches, and to do that we have to perform as well as possible."
It remains to be seen whether or not the Gunners will win their first league title in 19 years or if Manchester City retain their crown.