'It'll be over!' - Pep Guardiola issues blunt title warning to Man City players ahead of Chelsea and Arsenal double-header

City have been given a boost in the Premier League title race after Arsenal's unexpected defeat, but Guardiola is under no illusions about the task ahead. With two games in hand and a massive clash against the Gunners looming next week, the City boss believes all eyes must first be on Sunday's trip to Chelsea. The stakes couldn't be higher for the defending champions, and Guardiola was brutally honest about the consequences of a poor result in west London.

With eight games left on the schedule, the margin for error has completely evaporated. City have often been praised for their ability to put together relentless winning streaks during the run-in, and Guardiola believes that nothing less than a 100 percent record from now until May will suffice if they are to retain their crown.

"Talking about Arsenal, if you don’t win at Stamford Bridge – that’s not an easy place to go – maybe we don’t need to make the press conference before Arsenal because it’ll be over," Guardiola told reporters. "Everybody knows it. You know it, I know it, the players know it, everybody knows it. England knows it. So, there’s how many games left? You have to win all of them, all. Not one draw, no. Forget about it."

Having secured six Premier League titles during his decade-long tenure in Manchester, Guardiola’s side carries a psychological weight that few other teams can match. While he acknowledges that rivals might be intimidated by City's track record, he insists that history alone won't win them games this season.

"The aura doesn’t make you feel wins. For most of the players, not now but in recent past, it’s just, ‘OK, we have done it many times, we can do it again’," Guardiola explained. "But that doesn’t define a season in the Premier League. The season in the Premier League is 11 months and in the 11 months, there were a lot of games that we were good, but not good enough to win. Because now we are not seventh or eighth in the Premier League, we are second and fighting. It’s not a bad season."

City’s historical dominance in the final months is backed by incredible statistics, including winning 28 of their last 31 games played in April. Guardiola joked that the improving weather often plays a part in their late-season form, saying: "When the sun is out in spring time, our souls rise and we feel better. That’s why we win games. That is the reason why this season we were not good, because the weather was not good!"