Pep Guardiola scoffed on the concept his friendship with Mikel Arteta may very well be impacted by Manchester Metropolis and Arsenal’s title problem.
The Premier League title rivals face off in an enormous encounter on the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday.
Arsenal have drawn their final three video games that means a win for Metropolis – who’ve two video games in hand on the Gunners – would see their lead reduce to only two factors.
Arteta left Guardiola’s teaching workers to hitch Arsenal in 2019, however Metropolis’s boss has nothing however admiration for his shut pal.
“Nothing modifications,” stated Guardiola when requested if his friendship with Arteta gave the match an “additional dimension”.
“Nothing has modified on what I take into consideration him. We discuss much less, that’s regular, however the rivalries have all the time been there and it’ll all the time be the identical.
“It’s not the primary time in sport historical past. I used to be a participant, I had loads of associates in different groups and it remained the identical. You do your most to win however in the long run, the non-public relationships stay.
“I feel the event of Arsenal since Mikel took over is apparent. I’m a coach, not a supervisor. I’ve a sense that Mikel modified the construction of the membership. Made loads of choices, modified loads of gamers, with help from the hierarchy of the membership, and that’s why the success is there.”
Whereas Metropolis have been in sensible kind and Arsenal have had a wobble, Arteta sees no cause to be unfavorable.
“[City] construct up this unbelievable kind and look the place we’re within the desk nonetheless, so meaning we’ve been as properly in unbelievable kind, and that’s why we’re the place we’re,” the Arsenal boss stated.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Manchester Metropolis – Erling Haaland
Haaland has scored 32 Premier League targets for Metropolis this season, the joint-most ever by a participant in a 38-game marketing campaign within the competitors. Twenty of those targets have come on the Etihad Stadium, essentially the most residence targets by a participant in a season since 2007-08 when Cristiano Ronaldo (Previous Trafford) and Fernando Torres (Anfield) every scored 21.
Arsenal – Gabriel Martinelli
Martinelli has been concerned in 11 targets in his final 10 Premier League video games for Arsenal (eight targets, three assists). Total, he has 15 Premier League targets this season, the joint-most by a Brazilian participant in a single marketing campaign, together with Roberto Firmino in 2017-18.
MATCH PREDICTION: MANCHESTER CITY WIN
Metropolis have gained eight of their final 9 Premier League video games, together with their final six in a row. At residence they’ve gained 17 of their final 19 league video games (D1 L1), although their final 4 defeats on the Etihad Stadium have been towards London sides (Chelsea, Crystal Palace, Tottenham and Brentford).
Arsenal have scored simply three targets of their final 10 Premier League video games towards Metropolis, failing to attain on seven events. They’d solely failed to attain in six of their earlier 37 towards the Residents within the competitors.
Certainly, the Gunners have misplaced their final 11 Premier League video games towards Man Metropolis, their longest dropping streak towards an opponent of their league historical past.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Manchester Metropolis – 62 per cent
Arsenal – 15.3 per cent
Draw – 22.7 per cent
