Arsenal face Manchester City in what many are calling the Premier League title decider.
The Gunners are currently six points clear at the top of the table, while City sit second with a game in hand. That makes the clash on Sunday the most important game of the season for both clubs.
A win for Arsenal would put them in complete control of the title race, but a defeat would give City the boost they need to go all the way.
Pep Guardiola has now made a comment that could and should fire up Mikel Arteta’s players even more.
What do you think will happen when Arsenal take on Man City?
Pep Guardiola has just offered the biggest motivation to Arsenal players
Guardiola is widely regarded as the greatest manager of all time.
The Spaniard has done it all in his career, and getting ahead of Arsenal in this Premier League title race would be another incredible achievement.
In his press conference, Guardiola made it clear how significant this game is from Manchester City’s perspective. He admitted that a defeat for his side would effectively end their hopes of winning the title.
That is a huge statement coming from a manager who has dominated English football for years. It highlights just how strong Arsenal’s position is right now.
For Arteta’s players, this should serve as the ultimate motivation going into the game. Knowing that a win would almost certainly seal the title should push them to give everything on the pitch.
Guardiola said, as relayed on HaytersTV: “If we lose, yeah, it’s over.
“But the other two results (win or draw), knowing that Arsenal didn’t win against Bournemouth, we still have games to play. Six games are a lot.”
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Is Pep Guardiola being honest here or is he playing mind games?
Pep Guardiola could be playing mind games with his Arsenal comments
While Guardiola’s words can be seen as motivation, they could also be part of a bigger psychological tactic to get in the heads of Arsenal’s first-team players.
The City boss made it clear that a draw or a defeat for the Gunners would keep City firmly in the race.
That is an interesting claim because many feel a draw would still be a decent result for Arsenal given their lead. However, Guardiola’s comments challenge that idea – perhaps intentionally.
The Spaniard could be attempting to push Arsenal into going all out for a win rather than managing the game. If they take that approach, it could leave them vulnerable defensively.
Arteta will need to recognise that possibility and ensure his team remains balanced. Getting caught up in the emotion of the occasion could be dangerous against a side like City.
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