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Pep Guardiola has dismissed the impact of Arsenal’s draw against Sunderland on the Premier League title race, claiming ‘nothing is defined’ at this stage of the season.
Arsenal’s lead at the top of the table was cut to four points before the international break after they were held to a 2-2 draw by Sunderland, while City sealed an impressive 3-0 win against Liverpool.
City could move to just one point behind Arsenal if they beat Newcastle United on Saturday evening before Mikel Arteta’s side host Tottenham in the first north London derby of the season on Sunday.
Guardiola believes the end of the last international break of the year signals the start of ‘the real season’ and claims negative results after the New Year have more influence on teams chasing the Premier League title.
When asked about Arsenal’s draw against Sunderland and the impact it can have on the title race, Guardiola replied: ‘The truth is a team as strong as Arsenal is in the last seasons, not just this season, so impeccable in so many, many things, that feeling that I had in the past when we’ve fought incredibly against Liverpool, I had the feeling they would not drop many points.
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‘And if they can take a lot of distance, it will be difficult to catch up with them, similar like Liverpool last season.
‘We’ve had moments and experience in our careers, we take advantage of nine, ten, twelve points, you play those games more easier, nothing will happen if you drop points and the others from behind have to put on incredible pressure and that’s why when the distance is big it’s more difficult.
‘But at the same time, we are in November, in November, in this league, nothing is defined.
‘What happens in February and March, be careful, but now it’s the start of the season really, right? There’s two parts of the season, when the transfer window is over in the summer and after the international break is over, now the international break is done, so now we will be until March, see each other every three days.
‘Now the real season starts. It’s important to be there and arrive at the end of the season with the feeling we can fight.’
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