Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola says it is too early to be worried about chasing Arsenal at the top of the Premier League.
City slipped to a 1-0 defeat at Aston Villa on Sunday as the Gunners beat Crystal Palace by the same scoreline to move six points clear at the top of the table.
Guardiola’s side have history of chasing down Arsenal in the title race, memorably overhauling them in the 2023-24 season, and look set to have to do it again if they want to get their hands on the trophy.
But the City boss is not getting too worried just yet.
“Arsenal have 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.”
Villa celebrated Unai Emery’s three-year anniversary in style as Matty Cash’s first-half fizzer gave was enough for them a fourth successive Premier League win.
City were stifled excellently by a perfect Villa gameplan and Erling Haaland was stopped from scoring for just the second time this season in all competitions, ending a 12-game spree for club and country.
The Norwegian thought he had levelled at the end but it was ruled offside as he collided with the post.
Guardiola added: “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.
Such a run of results against Guardiola’s side would not have seemed possible for Villa before Emery arrived at Villa Park in October 2022, transforming their fortunes.
And after a slow start to the campaign, they again look like challenging at the top end of the Premier League.
“We started the season pretty poorly and we had doubts, we were not feeling good or confident for different circumstances,” Emery said.
“And especially this week against Tottenham away and Manchester City and how they perform and the commitment, following the gameplan, it is…fantastic.
“Through the quality of the players, we can feel comfortable and confident and we can win matches like we did today.
“How we performed today is giving us confidence and positive energy.
“We are feeling progressively our fortress here. We have to get the level as high as possible. There is still work to do.”
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