According to Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, Manchester City has set unprecedented standards in football, but Arsenal is progressively closing the gap.
Arsenal, currently leading the Premier League, will face off against third-placed City at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday. With only one point separating them, the title race is approaching an exciting climax.
This marks the first instance in a decade where the top three teams are separated by just one point after 28 games, with Liverpool holding the second position.
“It’s a massive game for both teams,” said Arteta.
“It will give us a massive boost if we win but there is a lot of games to go after that.”
Manchester City, aiming for their fourth consecutive title, have emerged victorious in 12 of their last 13 league encounters against Arsenal. Their lone defeat came in a 1-0 loss at Emirates Stadium earlier this season.
City is now eyeing back-to-back Trebles, with upcoming fixtures including a Champions League quarter-final against Real Madrid and an FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea.
“They have raised the bar to levels not seen before in football,” said Arteta. “You have to keep up with that pace and that is what we are trying to do.
“We learned from the level, it’s the level we want to be at. We are getting closer in the past two or three years. We need to close that gap and try to be better than them.
“They have earned the right for everyone to look at them as an example. It has raised our level and demands to try and be like them and beat them.”
City without Stones and Walker – but De Bruyne returns
City will have to manage without English defenders John Stones and Kyle Walker, both of whom sustained injuries while on international duty.
Walker suffered a hamstring problem during England’s 1-0 loss to Brazil, while Stones had to leave the pitch during Tuesday’s 2-2 draw with Belgium due to an adductor issue.
However, Kevin de Bruyne is expected to be fit for selection, having missed the FA Cup victory over Newcastle as well as Belgium’s friendlies against the Republic of Ireland and England.
“Kyle’s [injury is] more tough than John’s but they will be out – I don’t know for how many games,” said Guardiola.
“Kevin is so important. It has been a tough season for him with injuries. He has been out for a long time but he trained really well yesterday [Thursday]. We will see what he does in the next days.”
Meanwhile, Arteta said “there is a chance” Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel will all be fit for Sunday’s game.
‘We start an important time’
On Sunday, all three Premier League title contenders will be in action. Liverpool will welcome Brighton & Hove Albion at 14:00 BST, followed by Manchester City taking on Arsenal at 16:30 BST.
This could potentially be the last occasion where all three teams play on the same day until the last round of matches, although certain fixtures are still awaiting confirmation.
With only 10 games remaining, it appears probable that the race for the top spot will remain fiercely contested until the very end. However, according to prediction models developed by Opta and data experts Nielsen’s Gracenote, Manchester City are currently deemed favorites despite their current third-place position.
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