Salah’s claims about a winning culture spark reaction as City manager rows back on his perfect-finish stance
Pep Guardiola has refused to concede that Manchester City’s title chase is over after Monday’s 3-3 draw with Everton, despite insisting it would be finished if every game from last month’s victory over Arsenal were not won.
City beat Arsenal 2-1 at the Etihad Stadium on 19 April and went on to win 1-0 at Burnley and go level on points with Mikel Arteta’s pacesetters, above them on goals scored. But they now find themselves five points behind after failing to win at Hill Dickinson Stadium, so even if City’s game in hand is won they cannot overhaul Arsenal without their title rivals also dropping points in their final three games.
Reminded of his desire for a perfect run-in, expressed before the Arsenal game and the 1-1 draw with West Ham on 14 March, Guardiola said of winning the title: “Well, it is more difficult because we are facing the team that is going to play the final of the Champions League. We dropped two points in a tough game against Everton. But we try to win – let’s leave two points behind them and see what happens.”
City host Brentford on Saturday at 5.30pm BST while Arsenal travel to West Ham on Sunday. Guardiola was asked if he would watch the latter game and cheer on Nuno Espírito Santo’s team. “Let me play against Brentford and do our job,” he replied. “Let’s win our game against Brentford. And after you can come and ask.
