Pep Guardiola has asked fans and the media to tone things down on talks of a potential title win for Arsenal, led by his former protégé, Mikel Arteta.
The Gunners have gone on a splendid run in the 2025/26 Premier League season and are currently at the top of the table. Other teams expected to contend for the title, including Manchester City, have struggled at times, giving Arteta’s side the edge and the lead over everyone.
Guardiola is expected to return to the pinnacle of the league with his City side, whose attack is led by Erling Haaland, the league’s out-and-out top goalscorer. The questions came after City slipped to a 1-0 defeat away to Aston Villa while Arsenal won by the same scoreline in their own match in the same match week to extend their lead at the top.
Speaking about his team’s performance and the possibility of Arsenal beating everyone to the title, Guardiola said: “Arsenal has been solid for many years, this time the concern is how we can improve, better, better, better and to be close,” he said after a third successive loss at Villa Park.
“From my experience it [the season] is so long. So long. This is my experience. There are many teams there.”
“I was worried before the international break [September] when we were 14th in the table. If they win all their games and win the Premier League, congratulate them; that’s all we can do.”
“But I have to feel the team is alive, the team is good. I don’t know how many teams can come here and play the way we played, with the courage, possession, and chances. We have to be stable with that. And after that, to deal with games better.”
“But I don’t live in October and November thinking, ‘Oh what is going to happen if we don’t win the Premier League,’ so it’s game by game now.”
Guardiola also spoke on the Haaland disallowed goal: “I didn’t speak with him. He got a knock into the post, right, I didn’t speak to him.
“We have scored a lot of goals this season, Erling of course. We have to make a step up but today was difficult because they defended very well. We were there, we were close. In the games we won we were not so productive.”
