Manchester City still need to face ‘the best team in the world’ this season and it’s NOT Arsenal, says Pep Guardiola

Pep Guardiola has admitted that Manchester City still need to face ‘the best team in the world’ in the Premier League – and it won’t be Arsenal.

The Catalan coach has been looking ahead to the return of the English top-flight for his Manchester City players this weekend, as they look to further pile on the pressure on title challengers Arsenal at the top of the division.

In a brief break from top-flight action in midweek, Pep Guardiola’s side secured a significant advantage in the UEFA Champions League quarter-final first-leg against Bayern Munich – giving them plenty of hope of booking a place in the last-four of the competition.

City will be hoping to continue a fine run of form that sees them continue to compete for the three trophies that remain on offer to them, taking on a Leicester City side at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday evening.

While many have been swift to point out that the direction of the Premier League title is firmly in Manchester City’s hands, manager Pep Guardiola has handed out a stern word of warning to fans and players alike about the challenge that still lies ahead.

Alongside the six-point gap between City and Arsenal at the moment, Pep Guardiola has also pointed out that he and his players still have to take on a team he believes are ‘the best in the world’ at present – at it isn’t Mikel Arteta’s squad.

“The reality is we are six points behind, no guarantee we will win the games in hand,” Pep Guardiola said on Friday afternoon. “The best team in the world for build-up, the best team is Brighton – there is no better team in bringing it from the ‘keeper to the last quarter. No team better right now.”

Guardiola continued, “Arsenal is at home, but there is no guarantee. The reality in the table is that we are six points behind. We need to win our games, that is the reality. At the end of the games, that is when we will see the reality and the reality is that we are six points behind.”

Pep Guardiola has been keen to point out Arsenal’s advantage of being out of every competition other than the Premier League in recent weeks, with the Gunners often having much more time to rest, recover, and prepare in between top-flight contests.

However, the City boss told the media on Friday that he believes the relentless nature of playing every few days could be crucial to his player retaining a feeling of rhythm as the season progresses.

“Sometimes I will experience every four days games and we are in a rhythm and this helps us. We will play a lot of competitions until the end and it helps us. Sometimes we play one week and lose the rhythm when it is a week.

“Sometimes when we play Saturday, Tuesday, the minds of the players are always in here. If we have one week or two days off, we lose this rhythm. In six or seven weeks, it is over and the players will do everything to keep going.”

Manchester City take on Leicester City in the Premier League at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday evening, with kick-off scheduled for 17:30.