TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola insists his team still has a chance to catch Arsenal in the Premier League title race. He warned the Gunners that anything can happen in the remaining 13 games of the season.
A 2-1 victory over Liverpool cut Manchester City's lead over Arsenal at the top of the table to six points. Two goals from Bernardo Silva and Erling Haaland in the final six minutes turned the tide after Dominik Szoboszlai's 74th-minute opener. The victory also ensured City recorded a clean sweep of wins over Liverpool in a single season for the first time in 89 years.
The result opens up the opportunity for City to close the gap to three points if they beat Fulham at the Etihad Stadium midweek, while Arsenal must travel to Brentford on Thursday.
Guardiola believes the pressure of the final stages of the title race means opportunities are still open. He believes City can still overtake Mikel Arteta's Arsenal in the title race. "We're six points behind. It's a big gap, but a lot can happen, so the most important thing is to get three points," said Guardiola, as quoted by ESPN.
He assessed that the tight schedule could affect the competition. "Who knows if six points are enough for Arsenal. There are 13 games left, then there's the FA Cup, the League Cup final, the Champions League again in March, and injuries will happen," he said.
Guardiola also highlighted the factor of opponents having different interests. According to him, teams chasing European spots and those fighting to avoid relegation will give their all. "From experience, 13 games is a very long time. The final stages of the season are always very difficult, but the important thing is that we stay in the competition," he said.
He emphasized that City's target is to keep the pressure on Arsenal. "All we can do is stay close to Arsenal. If they slip up or make a mistake, we have to capitalize on it. We still have to play them at home, so of course we have to win."
In the match at Anfield, City actually thought they could win 3-1 after Rayan Cherki scored from inside his own half. However, the goal was disallowed after a jockeying incident between Haaland and Szoboszlai before the ball entered the net.
After a VAR review, referee Craig Pawson awarded a free kick to City and a red card to Szoboszlai for denying a clear goalscoring opportunity, although the ball ultimately went in.
Guardiola felt the goal should have stood and Szoboszlai should not have been sent off. "Use common sense, right? How many challenges like that in a game do referees let go? They should have given the goal, played on, and let Szoboszlai play," Guardiola said.
Read: The Turning Point in Manchester City's Dramatic Victory over Liverpool
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