Guardiola's Defiant Message to Rivals
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has delivered a pointed reminder to Arsenal supporters that their team are not the reigning champions ahead of his side's crucial Premier League encounter with Liverpool. The comments come after Arsenal were held to a 2-2 draw by Sunderland on Saturday, November 9, 2025, yet maintained their six-point lead at the summit over second-placed Chelsea.
The Title Race Heats Up
Despite Arsenal's strong position, the landscape at the top could shift significantly this weekend. Should Manchester City secure a victory against Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday afternoon, Arsenal's advantage will be cut to just four points. Guardiola, whose team have won eight of their last ten matches across all competitions, believes his squad is showing clear signs of improvement.
While acknowledging that Arsenal have been 'unbelievable', the 54-year-old tactician firmly rejected any suggestion that the title race is already decided. He stated, 'I think we are learning to play better in different ways', though he admitted his defence is not yet at the level he dreams of.
City's Growing Confidence
Guardiola elaborated on his team's development, highlighting their adaptation to various tactical challenges. 'I think we are learning to play better against different shapes, man-marking or low blocks... that at the beginning we struggled a little bit to read exactly what we had to do,' he explained.
He emphasised the importance of continuous growth, a hallmark of championship-winning sides. 'The big teams, when you win, from my experience, when you arrive at the end of April, May, to win the titles is how much you grew up from September, October and every month. The teams who win are the teams who grow. And that I had a feeling that we are getting better.'
Looking ahead to the Liverpool fixture, Guardiola was unequivocal about the challenge. 'On Sunday we play against, right now, the champions. Arsenal is not the champion, the champion is Liverpool. They come here to defend the title.' He expressed his excitement for the match, viewing it as a key opportunity for his team to prove their level against the team that won the Premier League last season.
