Pep Guardiola joke about Arsenal speaks volumes for Man City mood

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola spoke to reporters ahead of the Premier League game with Burnley and sent a clear message

Anyone who has witnessed a Pep Guardiola press conference knows that, much like his football, the details are important. How he says something, what he doesn't say or simply how he acts can all be more significant than the actual words that come out of his mouth.

As his players give off a feeling to him in training that allows the Manchester City boss a better sense of the full picture, so Guardiola's performance in press conferences is telling. After Sunday's win over Arsenal, for example, the message was clearly what he had told the players in the dressing room: Don't lose focus, Arsenal are still top.

On Tuesday, as the sun shone in through the windows of City's auditorium, Guardiola was more cheery and relaxed than you would expect anyone - let alone the man that he is - to be in the middle of a title race. The City boss often gives his most revealing answers in the time between him giving an answer and the next question being asked, but this time he wanted more information on the famous title race in England in 1989 decided on goal difference that he did not know about.

Click here to find out the latest Manchester City news in our daily newsletter

"What happened," he started. "For one goal, Arsenal won the league? So Arsenal won, they can relax this season! They don't have to do it again."

When the next question came, it was about whether Guardiola still gets nervous before big occasions such as the Arsenal match they have just had. "No, absolutely the opposite. Nervous was last season. Pressure last season. I could bring, as a manager, the team not in the Champions League," he said.

"Now, I'm more relaxed than ever. Even before Arsenal. The feeling is that we have done a really, really good season. Now is the moment to enjoy more than ever and knowing that we have in every game......the message is so clear. It's not even a message. They know it. And no, no, it's completely, completely the opposite.

"Last season in Fulham away [on the final game of the season], the night before was...oh. That was tough because qualifying for the Champions League is so important for the club. Now we have done it. We have the Carabao Cup, [FA Cup] semi-final in a few days against Southampton at Wembley and try to fight to win the Premier League. So, that is good. Really, really good. That's why I'm a manager, to live those moments."

As Arsenal struggle to get over the line, Guardiola is exuding the confidence of a man who feels like he has already won. Not least because he has already won everything at City in 10 years stuffed with silverware, which have made the nerves that he felt trying to win something at Barcelona go away.

The coach also brings his love for golf into football in more ways than one. He knows that the importance of a good round is avoiding disasters and not letting one blip on the scorecard bleed into the rest of it, yet at the same time wants his players to recognise the good along the way regardless of the wider picture: a birdie still gives you a high even if you hack your way around the rest of the course.

That is why City celebrated so passionately after beating Arsenal on Sunday and why Guardiola carries the air of a man who is walking up to the 18th tee knowing his team have had a good round. He is pretty confident they will finish strongly, but their position to keep their season alive at this point with one trophy in the bag and a real shot at two more is enough to be satisfied whatever comes next.

The tension may yet come if the league gets anywhere near a repeat of Mickey Thomas, but for now City are swinging freely as they head to Burnley looking to go top of the league for the first time since the opening week of the season.