Pep Guardiola ‘couldn’t care less’ about Arsenal’s stumble in title race

LONDON – Pep Guardiola insisted that he “couldn’t care less” about Arsenal’s stumble, letting Manchester City back into the English Premier League title race.

Guardiola’s side were in danger of being blown away by the Gunners after their inconsistent form left Mikel Arteta’s men in pole position.

But second-placed City have been handed a lifeline by Arsenal’s damaging draws against Wolverhampton Wanderers and Brentford.

They are now just five points behind the leaders with a game in hand and a home match against Arteta’s side to come in April.

If City win their remaining 12 matches, they will be crowned champions for the fifth time in the last six seasons.

But Guardiola is not getting carried away by the opportunity, wanting to just focus on the visit of Newcastle United on Feb 21.

A win would close the gap on Arsenal to two points before the Gunners face Tottenham Hotspur in the north London derby on Feb 22.

“I didn’t talk about the table, or our position or something like that. I could not care less,” Guardiola told reporters on Feb 20 when asked what he had talked about with his team. “I didn’t talk about that for one second. Just Newcastle, Newcastle, Newcastle.

“If you ask me this question with two or three games left, I will have your answer. It’s 12 games left – it’s an eternity.”

Having won six titles during 10 years at City, Guardiola knows the final weeks of the season will bring more twists and turns.

He also has experience of watching Arsenal let substantial leads slip away in the 2023 and 2024 title races, allowing City to snatch the trophy from their grasp.

“Many things are going to happen until the end of the season. For now it is Newcastle, a rest and after that it’s Leeds (United). It has always been like that,” he said.

“Seventy per cent of the players are new, so they don’t have the experience to live these kinds of situations. An experience is to win tomorrow. It is only one.

“Arsenal were nine points (ahead) when we had a game in hand, so whenever everybody is on the same games played then after that we will see the difference.”

Guardiola also nodded when asked if top scorer Erling Haaland is fit. The Norwegian had missed their 2-0 win over Salford City in the FA Cup fourth round on Feb 14 after coming off at half-time of their 3-0 Premier League victory over Fulham on Feb 11.

Savinho is also set to return following a thigh issue but Jeremy Doku, who suffered a calf injury while facing Galatasaray in January, is not ready yet.

Newcastle, meanwhile, could welcome back defender Sven Botman, who has missed their last two fixtures with a back injury, while forward Yoane Wissa is nearing a return.

But manager Eddie Howe does not need to worry about a lack of options up front with striker Anthony Gordon in red-hot form.

The 24-year-old England international scored four goals in their 6-1 Champions League play-off, first-leg victory against Azerbaijan’s Qarabag in Baku on Feb 18 to take his tally in this season’s competition to 10 and Howe wants him to keep on being selfish.

Gordon rounded off his latest haul with a second penalty at the Tofiq Bahramov Republican Stadium, having ignored Newcastle captain Kieran Trippier’s pleas to allow Nick Woltemade to take the spot kick.

Howe told reporters on Feb 20: “There were really big positives to take from that incident. Moments like that get blown out of all proportion, it was a very minor issue.

“It was great from Anthony that he’s got that strong-enough resolve that he wants to score in every moment – and you’d want that from any player – so I’ve got no issue with him.

“I’ve got no issue with Kieran also, trying to think of the team and trying to lead in his way and be the aspiring leader that he is in every moment. I actually thought it was a real positive on all sides.

“The good thing is we scored the penalty, so that in itself is another positive. I think it showed that all the players care and we want to do well.”

Newcastle, who have only one win in their last five Premier League games, are 10th in the table on 36 points, eight behind fifth-placed Chelsea. AFP, REUTERS