Pep Guardiola tries to get in Arsenal's heads with title race confession – 'I'd like to be'

After Arsenal dropped points away to Brentford on Wednesday night, Pep Guardiola looked to ramp up the mind-games, after Manchester City closed the gap to four points

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has told Mikel Arteta he would do anything to be in Arsenal's position. The Gunners looked nervous in their 1-1 away draw with Brentford on Wednesday night.

Before the match, City closed the gap to three-points, after comfortably beating Fulham 3-0. Arsenal struggled to handle the Bees' aerial threat and set pieces, and would have lost the game had Igor Thiago converted his late chance.

Arteta has insisted his side need to keep calm and raise their games by another notch to get over the line. While the north Londoners may be looking over their shoulders at City, Guardiola insists they are in the dream position.

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Speaking in his press conference before City's FA Cup clash against Salford City, the ex-Barcelona manager said: "I would prefer to be in the position Arsenal are in than in our position.

"I would prefer that. If I would be in the position (Arsenal are in) of four points in front and second with 20 games left.

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"I would not be relaxed. Imagine being four points behind and less relaxed. Still, I would prefer to be in the position Arsenal are in than we are.”

After Arsenal's draw at the G-Tech Community Stadium, Guardiola's former assistant manager insisted his side cannot afford to lose their cool and must find another gear to get over the line. Arteta said: "We’re going to be preparing to win every single match.

"That’s the only thing we can do. Raise the levels, collectively and individually, to be better than our opponents every week. That’s going to carry on like this until May.”

Declan Rice also echoed Arteta's message in his own post-match interview, saying: "This is a rollercoaster of a season. You can’t be naive to think this is going to be easy.

"We are playing against the best teams week in, week out. We have to keep pushing and believing in ourselves, controlling the controllable.

"We have to block out the outside noise. We have done that really well. People are going to talk up the title race and Arsenal but we have a really calm group”

Arsenal are also in action in the FA Cup this weekend. They host 2013 competition winners and former Premier League stalwarts Wigan Athletic at the Emirates Stadium.

Considering the points dropped against the Bees, a convincing victory will be needed to inject any confidence lost at the G-Tech. Moreover, some have tipped Arsenal to win the Quadruple.

They have already booked their place in the League Cup final and the knockout stages of the Champions League. Having gone six years without a major trophy, Arteta will not be looking too far ahead into the future.