Pep Guardiola stated “maybe it is better” to be behind Arsenal and “see what we have to do to catch them” after his Manchester City side lost to the Gunners.
City won the Premier League by five points last season despite being behind Arsenal most of the way. At this point last season, for example, they were a point behind their title rivals, and by Christmas they were two points behind.
Clearly, they found a way to overcome them, and it didn’t matter that they’d spent most of the season in second place.
As such, after Arsenal beat the Citizens and leapfrogged them for second place in the process, they won’t be worried. Guardiola certainly isn’t, as he suggested it might actually be better for them to be the chasers rather than the prey.
“Hopefully they come back fit and then we go again. Maybe it is a little bit better to be there and see what we have to do to catch them and then [we will] when we come back,” he said on Sky Sports.
“It has happened. In Wolves it was a difficult game. Congratulations to Arsenal. We know exactly what we have to do and we do it.”
While City lost, Guardiola felt his side were the better of the two in the opening exchanges, but Arsenal came into their own in the second-half and they used that momentum to go and win the game.
“That game, we started really well with two or three chances. They started the second half really well with the rhythm. Then it was tight and they got a deflection goal. They won, congratulations to them,” Guardiola added.
“We tried. We did it. I think from both sides there was not a lot of chances. I think both teams did good high pressing. It was tight and in the end, one action, we lost the game.
“Ten minutes was like that [Arsenal on top] and after it was equal. We had also our moments but in general it was a tight game. Unfortunately they did it.”
