Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has expressed his admiration for Arsenal's playing style, revealing he enjoys watching the Gunners and learns from their approach as the two teams prepare for a crucial Premier League clash.
Guardiola's comments come ahead of Sunday's highly anticipated match at the Etihad Stadium, where Arsenal will attempt to maintain their six-point lead at the top of the table. The Gunners are chasing their first league title in over two decades while also competing in the Champions League semi-finals.
"Yes. People are so demanding. From the media, supporters, everyone. I enjoy watching them. I learn a lot in many things," Guardiola said when asked about Arsenal.
Despite recent criticism of Arsenal's attacking play—with statistics showing 37% of their league goals coming from set-pieces and just two open-play goals in their last five matches—Guardiola emphasized the unique motivation driving Mikel Arteta's side.
"What people want is to win and we will fight. An aspect that is really, really important that we cannot fight against is Arsenal going 22 years without winning the Premier League. They have something that makes them unique. I know that feeling when we arrived here," Guardiola added.
The City manager acknowledged the psychological advantage his team holds after defeating Arsenal 2-0 at Wembley earlier this season, though the sides drew 1-1 at Emirates Stadium in September.
Recent results have tightened the title race, with Arsenal suffering a surprise home defeat to Bournemouth last weekend while City secured an important victory at Chelsea. Statistical models now give Arsenal an 87% chance of winning the title compared to City's 13%—a significant shift from the previous week's 97% and 3% respectively.
Guardiola made clear the stakes for his team: "It is over if we lose," emphasizing that City must focus on their own performance rather than Arsenal's historical motivation.
The match kicks off at 16:30 BST on Sunday, with the outcome potentially determining the destination of this season's Premier League trophy.