Pep Guardiola insists TWO other teams are in the Premier League title race with Arsenal and Manchester City

Arsenal and Manchester City are not the only teams competing for the Premier League title this season, insists Pep Guardiola.

The English top-flight’s first and second placed teams go head-to-head for the first time this season on Wednesday night, as they clash at the Emirates Stadium, with City knowing that a victory would move them to the summit.

Arsenal and City have already met once this season, with the latter coming out on top in an FA Cup fourth round tie at the Etihad Stadium last month, courtesy of a second-half strike from Nathan Ake.

While the focus is obviously on who will come out on top in Wednesday night’s clash in North London, Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has insisted that other teams could yet still win the Premier League title this season.

When asked about whether he believes Manchester United and Newcastle United are in the hunt for the top-flight crown, the Catalan coach responded, “They are there. It’s a lot of points (still to play for).”

“When I say a lot of points to play, it’s not just that I’m talking about us. What happens in the next weeks, I don’t know. But always I have the feeling – especially now with the European competitions, Champions League, Europa League, FA Cup already round the corner this week and next week – that the next eight or 10 games are going to decide who wins the titles.”

Pep Guardiola continued, “In that moment, try to be there, and make the last effort to try to achieve it.”

Manchester City do have the chance to go top with a win against Mikel Arteta’s side on Wednesday night, after the Gunners have dropped points in their last two Premier League fixtures – with a 1-0 defeat to Everton followed by a 1-1 draw against Brentford.

Some would suggest that given Arsenal’s hunger to return to winning ways, that makes them an even more dangerous outfit for Manchester City to face – but manager Pep Guardiola believes that there will be no change in the level of danger posed by the Emirates club.

“They’ll be the same dangerous (team),” Pep Guardiola insists. “Of course, it’s a team not used to dropping points, and when they drop points, in the next game you have something special. It would have been the same (even if they hadn’t dropped points recently).”

“But after watching the two games (against Everton and Brentford), I don’t have the feeling that they dropped the way they’re playing. I think Arsenal have reached the level that means when you’re a good team the opponent always adapts to you, who you are.”

Guardiola continued, “When you arrive at that level it’s because you are a good team. It happens. You can win or lose but when you impose your game and the opponent always adapts to what you’re doing, and you don’t change the way you play, and they adapt and adjust many things during the game, it’s because you have reached the level that you need to be Champions.”

“I have the feeling that Arsenal, this season, have got it.”

The clash against Arsenal marks the start of a five-game run of away fixtures for Manchester City, with the trip to North London followed by a Premier League clash against newcomers Nottingham Forest, and the first-leg of their Champions League last-16 tie with RB Leipzig.

Arsenal do still have a game in hand over their nearest title challengers, but a win for Manchester City would hand Mikel Arteta’s side a mammoth psychological blow should Pep Guardiola and his players manage consecutive wins over the Gunners this season ahead of the next Etihad meeting.