1 day ago
14
Despite the team's current standing, Arsenal has been cautioned that Manchester City could pose a significant challenge to its Premier League title aspirations.
Alan Pardew, the former Premier League manager, believes that despite trailing six points behind Mikel Arteta's team, City could be a more formidable adversary than Liverpool.
Arsenal currently holds a commanding position at the top of the table, following the team's 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace last Sunday. Meanwhile, Liverpool suffered a 3-2 defeat at Brentford a day earlier, marking the Merseyside club's fourth consecutive loss in the league - a nightmare run for Arne Slot and his players.
City also faced a setback with a 1-0 defeat at Aston Villa, leaving Bournemouth as Arsenal's closest competitors, trailing by four points in second place.
Liverpool is grappling with numerous issues under Slot and is seven points behind, making City a stronger contender for the title. Guardiola, who has led the club to six title victories in nine years, should not be discounted, according to Pardew.
"That was a strange result," Pardew told talkSPORT about Villa's win. "I'm not sure if Man City were feeling the effects of their midweek game (in the Champions League), but I genuinely thought that was a bit of a blow.
"Mikel Arteta and Arsenal would have looked at that game and thought, 'Wow what a result that is.' You can't but fear Man City making a challenge, I think there's a big challenge in them even though they lost at Aston Villa, I really do.
"The only worry is if they're too reliant on Haaland, who's really on form but is still going to need others to pitch in. In previous Man City teams, you would get a few players really contributing, but I wonder if there's enough around Haaland to win the title.
"They need someone to step up to the plate and help out Haaland. There's so much potential in that squad, but Pep needs to see it on the pitch."
Guardiola himself remains defiant, having witnessed how circumstances can shift as the campaign unfolds. "We have try to close (the gap)," he said.
"Arsenal have been solid for many years. I'm concerned with how we can improve as a team and to be close. From my experience, it's (the season) so long. This my experience.
"There are many teams there. Bournemouth are doing really well, and the other ones, and we'll try to do our game. I was worried before the international break when we were 14th in the table.
"Listen, our job is not to look at the table. If they win all their games and win the Premier League, congratulations. But I have the feeling that the team is alive, the team is good...
"We have to do little details better, but I don't live in October and November thinking what is going to happen if we don't win the Premier League. It's game by game."
English (US) ·