Guardiola: No Room for Error as City Host Arsenal in Title Showdown

‘We are ready,’ Guardiola says City confident ahead of Arsenal decider 

Pep Guardiola says Man City’s title hopes are “over” if they lose to Arsenal Sunday. City trail by six points with a game in hand before Etihad clash.

Guardiola calls Arsenal game a final with Man City six points off top. City's title fight 'over' with defeat to Arsenal, Guardiola admits...

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola described Sunday's Premier League meeting with leaders Arsenal as a final, saying a defeat would effectively end his side's title chances ahead of the showdown at the Etihad Stadium.

City are six points behind Arsenal but have a game in hand, and a win would close the gap while increasing the pressure as the title race heads into its decisive phase.

Guardiola said there was little margin for error, admitting that anything less than three points would leave his team with too steep a climb.

“Yes, obviously,” the Spaniard added when asked if he sees the game as a final. “If we lose, it is over.”

Our last 🔟 goals against Arsenal at the Etihad 🩵 pic.twitter.com/Wn7AhIKEZV

— Manchester City (@ManCity) April 17, 2026

City Ready for Decider

Despite the fine margins, Guardiola said City are confident, adding that belief is vital at this stage of the season.

“We are ready.”

“If you could ‌buy confidence in a supermarket, we would buy it immediately. It is one of the most important aspects,” he told a press conference. “(Our confidence) is good. We are ready.”

“A month ago, because we dropped points in moments, I thought we ‌would not be here. (But) we saw the calendar and said, 'OK, we ⁠play Arsenal at home for a chance. It is ‌six points. It is not a short distance, but we have a chance to do it.'

“That is the situation we are in. It depends on our behaviour and everything will be said on Sunday. Our fans have sold out. Everything is perfect to play a game.”

Guardiola confirmed Nico O'Reilly, who netted twice in City's 2-0 League Cup final victory over Arsenal, is available after he went off last weekend at Chelsea with a tight left hamstring.

That emphatic win capped a strong run of form for City, which also featured a 4-0 demolition of Liverpool in the FA Cup quarter-finals. They remain unbeaten in the league since mid-January.

City’s recent results have started to make Arsenal fans nervous.

“If we play like the second half (of the League Cup final) during 95 minutes and they play like the second half, we are going ‌to win. Well, maybe not because football is unpredictable,“ Guardiola said.

“I know (Arsenal manager) Mikel (Arteta). They are going to adjust something and we have to prepare to do it. In the end, it is more simple. It is how your players individually win the me-against-you.”

The last 🔟 meetings between @ManCity and @Arsenal...

How will Sunday's fixture end? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/wf35c3eGzU

— Premier League (@premierleague) April 17, 2026

No Room for Complacency

  

Guardiola insisted City must still lift their performance if they are to stay in the title race through the final weeks.

“You cannot pretend that these kind of teams will be 90 or 95 minutes perfect, but this ‌one aspect is not about the future, present or past, it's about confidence, which is an incredible aspect.”

Asked if City are underdogs, Guardiola played down the label. “I understand your message, but maybe we're ‌not,” he said. “They have been the best so far, but we want to challenge them.

“I said today to the players, it is just a football game, and we have to approach it like a football game. If you get distracted by emotions, that is how you lose focus.”

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Guardiola said City are still proud to be competing on multiple fronts, even though Sunday's outcome could prove decisive.

“We will see what happens,” he said. “But it ⁠is never over until it's over and ‌we are still here. I am proud to be there still challenging them.”