Pep Guardiola said it was too early for Manchester City to fret about Arsenal’s superb start to the Premier League season, and that his team were alive in their pursuit of reclaiming the title despite a 1-0 defeat at Aston Villa on Sunday.
City trail Arsenal by six points after nine games but Guardiola is relaxed about the gap. “We have to try to close [it]Arsenal have been solid for many years, this time the concern is how we can improve – better, better, better – and to be close,” the City manager said.
“From my experience it [the season] is so long. So long. This is my experience. There are many teams there and we have a good test against Bournemouth [next weekend]who are doing very well. We will try to do our game.
“I was worried before the [September] international break when we were 14th in the table and they were seven or eight points in front. Our job is not to look at the table. If they win all their games and win the Premier League, congratulations to them, that’s all we can do. But I have the feeling the team is alive, the team is good.”
Guardiola, whose side travel to Swansea in the Carabao Cup fourth round on Wednesday night, added: “I don’t know how many teams can come here and play the way we played, with the courage, possession and chances. We have to be stable with that. I don’t live in October and November thinking: ‘Oh what is going to happen if we don’t win the Premier League?’ So it’s game by game now.”
City lost at Villa for the third successive season as Erling Haaland, who has 11 league goals this season, failed to score for the first time in 13 matches. Guardiola pointed to the quality of Unai Emery’s side. “They are a Champions League team – unfortunately they are not there this season – but they are a top, top team and compete very well,” he said. “I admire them.”
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Haaland, who has 24 goals for club and country this season, clattered a post as he converted Omar Marmoush’s cross with a minute of normal time remaining but was offside. The Norway striker played on and Guardiola played down fears over a potential injury. “Hopefully he’s fine,” the manager said. “I didn’t speak with him.”
