Akin Ayomide
Pep Guardiola said Friday that the “real season starts now” as Manchester City seek to hunt down Arsenal at the top of the Premier League.
City closed the gap to the Gunners to four points before the recent international break, thumping champions Liverpool 3-0 after Arsenal dropped points in a 2-2 draw at Sunderland.
Guardiola was asked ahead of his side’s match at Newcastle on Saturday about the importance of a potential swing in momentum from those results.
The City boss admitted it was important not to allow “impeccable” Arsenal to build up too big a lead, though he cautioned the season was still relatively young.
“The feeling that I had in the past when we fought incredibly against Liverpool, I had the feeling that we would not drop many points, and if they can take a lot of distance, it will be difficult to catch up,” he said.
“It was similar to Liverpool last season,” when they won the league with four games to spare, he said.
Guardiola, who has won the Premier League title six times with City, said nothing would be decided in November.
“There’s two parts of the season, when the transfer window is over in summer and after, when the international break is over,” he said.
“Now the international break is done, so we’ll be (together) until March, see each other every three days, four days. Now the real, real season starts.
“And the important thing is to be there, to be close there, and after that, arrive at the end of the season with the chance that we can fight for it.
“That is the target, and of course, winning tomorrow would be an important step for us.”
If City beat Eddie Howe’s struggling Newcastle, they would be just a single point behind Arsenal, who host London rivals Tottenham the following day.
Guardiola will be without midfielders Mateo Kovacic and Rodri for the visit to St James’ Park.
“Everybody is fit except Kova and Rodri.
“Rodri is making steps good — it’s been almost three weeks since his last setback.
“He knows he has to take time to recover well mentally and physically and to be consistent from now until the end,” he said.