Pep Guardiola says 'all Premier League teams' would like to have one Arsenal star in their team ahead of PL fixture
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has spoken highly about Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice ahead of their Premier League clash at the Etihad on March 31.
The Gunners, currently leading the title race with 64 points from 28 matches, are set to face third-placed City, one point behind the summit. Ahead of the game, Guardiola was asked to single out the opposition player he would have liked to have at his disposal. The Spaniard said (via Metro):
"I think all the teams in the Premier League would have [wanted to] sign Rice."
Rice completed a summer move to north London from West Ham United for a reported £105 million. He was on several club's shortlists, including City's before making his switch to the Emirates. Since his transfer, Rice has showcased his quality, scoring six goals and providing seven assists in 39 appearances across competitions.
Back in October, Guardiola accepted that City were also keen on signing Rice, saying (via HITC):
"Everybody knows that we wanted him. In the end, Arsenal pushed more and wanted him more. Maybe Mikel was more convincing than me or the club itself. Or the offer they got, we believe in that position we could not reach it. We could not afford it."
While City didn't get Rice, they signed Matheus Nunes and Mateo Kovacic in midfield following Ilkay Gundogan's free transfer to Barcelona.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta feels his team are better equipped against Manchester City this season
Last season, Arsenal and Manchester City faced off at the Etihad with both teams vying for the Premier League title. Guardiola's side ran away with a 4-1 win and eventually the league title as well.
Mikel Arteta, however, feels his team are in much different form this season and are better equipped to fetch a different result. Ahead of the much important game, Arteta said to the media (via the Gunners' website):
"It is different, momentum is different, we had certain results and some big injutries in that moment but those experiences are there to learn from."
Arteta further highlighted that his team have taken some important strides to improve over the course of the last few years. He added:
"I think we've made some big ones in the last two or three years and we're getting much closer. Now it is about how you close the gap and actually try to be better than them."
Arsenal managed a 1-0 win when the two teams met at the Emirates earlier this season. Gabriel Martinelli scored an 86th-minute winner for the north London club.