Published April 17, 2026
Manchester City manager Josep Guardiola says defeat will end his side’s hopes of winning the title ahead of Sunday’s much-anticipated Premier League clash against leaders Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium.
City are six points behind Arsenal but with a game in hand, a win would close the gap and increase the pressure as the race enters a decisive phase.
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But Guardiola said there was little margin for error and admitted his side would face too steep a climb if they fell below three points.
“Yes, of course,” the Spaniard added on whether he sees the match as a final. “If we lose, it’s over.”
Despite the close margin, Guardiola said City were confident and stressed that belief is key at this stage of the season.
“If we could buy trust in a supermarket, we would buy it right away. That’s one of the most important aspects,” he told a news conference. (My confidence) is good. We are ready,” he added.
“A month ago we thought we wouldn’t be here because we dropped points so quickly.[But]I looked at the calendar and thought, ‘Okay, we’re going to play Arsenal at home for a chance. We’ve got six points. It’s not a short distance, but we have a chance.’
“That’s the situation we’re in. It depends on what we do, but everything will be decided on Sunday. We have a full house of fans. Everything is perfect for us to play.”
Guardiola said Nico O’Reilly, who scored twice in City’s 2-0 League Cup final win over Arsenal, was feeling well after last weekend’s game against Chelsea, when he was forced off with a left hamstring injury.
Manchester City’s solid form causes anxiety among Arsenal fans
The thrilling victory was part of City’s solid run of form, which also saw them beat Liverpool 4-0 in the FA Cup quarter-finals. They haven’t lost a league game since mid-January.
City’s result started to cause anxiety among Arsenal fans.
“For 95 minutes, if we play like we played in the second half (of the League Cup final) and they play like they played in the second half, we will win. Well, maybe not, because football is unpredictable,” Guardiola said.
“I know[Arsenal manager]Mikel[Arteta]. They are going to adjust things and we have to be ready for that. At the end of the day, it’s much simpler. It’s how the players individually win me versus you.”
Guardiola insisted City still need to raise their game if they are to remain in the hunt for the title until the final week.
“We need to get even better,” he said. “The first half against Chelsea (3-0 win on Sunday) was OK, but not great. The first 30 minutes against Liverpool weren’t great either. They were better in the first half against Arsenal in the final.”
“You can’t act like this kind of team can play perfect 90 or 95 minutes, but this isn’t about the future, present or past, it’s about confidence, and that’s a great point.”
Asked if City were underdogs, Guardiola downplayed that label. “I understand your message, but maybe we don’t,” he said. “They have been the best so far, but we want to challenge them.
“I told the players today: This is just a football game and we have to treat it like a football game. When you get distracted by your emotions, you lose focus.”
Guardiola said he was proud that City were still challenging on multiple fronts, even though Sunday’s result could be decisive.
“Let’s see what happens,” he said. “But it’s never over until it’s over. And we’re still here. I’m proud to be there and continue to challenge them.”
