Pep Guardiola plays down title talk as City gear up for Arsenal clash.

Fresh from their midweek victory against Napoli in the Champions League, Manchester City prepare for an early season showdown against rivals Arsenal on Sunday. Goals from in-form Erling Haaland and Jeremy Doku sealed a perfect win and made it consecutive victories for the first time this season. But for Pep Guardiola, talk of title races and long-term ambitions is premature.

Ferguson’s Boxing Day rule still shaping Guardiola’s approach

“It’s the fifth game. It will be the fifth game. Come on, ”Guardiola said. “We’re not going to win the Premier League on Sunday. We’re not going to lose the Premier League on Sunday. My concern is only to see the team going up, to make a step forward every day.”

The City boss referenced advice he received from Brian Kidd when he first arrived in Manchester. "When I arrived here, Brian Kidd told me Sir Alex Ferguson said that in the Premier League, you have to stay close to the top four up to Boxing Day. And after that you can think about it.”

Kidd served as assistant manager to Ferguson in the 90’s, having represented both Manchester clubs in his playing career. Later, he helped Guardiola’s transition in England by remaining as part of the backroom staff at the Etihad up until 2021.

By Boxing Day of last season, The Blues were sitting in an uncomfortable seventh position in the Premier League, severely underperforming per Pep’s standards. Liverpool raced away with the league title, but Sunday’s opponents Arsenal were sitting just six points behind the eventual champions at that time.

Guardiola: ‘Extraordinary’ Arteta

Guardiola admitted Arsenal are a side transformed under his former assistant Mikel Arteta. “Mikel is an extraordinary manager, and after four or five windows they now have an unbelievable squad... Step by step, window by window, step by step, Arsenal is getting better. So last season in Europe, they made incredible step forward and they are for me the most solid team. They don't make mistakes in the back and this incredible solid team."

"They have pace up front, they have of course set pieces with Nico Jover - he was here. It's in every department. But we know it. So every team is better and better and better and I know the quality that all of them they have," he explained.

"[So] it is an unbelievable squad and an unbelievable team, it is one of the toughest opponents you can find now in Europe and we try to compete. I want to compete to be a better team than we were last season, especially in the last 20-25 minutes."  

City’s 5-1 defeat at the Emirates last February still lingers in Guardiola’s mind. It was City’s heaviest defeat under Guardiola in the Premier League since the 4-0 loss against Everton in 2017. By his own admission, his side “forgot to do what we had to do.” This time, he hopes for more resilience and focus not just in this game, but going forward: “I want us to be better than last season, especially in the last 20–25 minutes.”

Rodri fitness a concern ahead of heavyweight showdown

There are also fitness concerns heading into the game. Rodri returned from an ACL injury at the end of last season, but has not quite hit the strides of his run that earned him the 2024 ballon d’Or award. The midfielder remains a fitness doubt for Sunday after playing through discomfort in the Champions League.

Guardiola praised the Spaniard, but insisted his minutes would be carefully managed after such a serious injury. "Yesterday, for example, the training session, he didn’t feel comfortable, he did not feel good but said ‘no, no, I'll be fine tomorrow’ and played extraordinary, like Rodri is.”

"And with him on the pitch we feel more comfortable. But, of course, after injury you have to be alert and we will decide on Sunday how he does feel." 

City and Arsenal headline this week’s round of jam-packed fixtures. A third win on the bounce will level the Cityzens on 9 points with the Gunners.