VIDEO: Pep Guardiola sends hilarious message to West Ham as Man City eye Arsenal slip in Premier League title race

The City boss was in a buoyant mood after seeing his side dismantle Brentford to keep the pressure on league leaders Arsenal. As he prepared to leave his post-match press conference on Saturday, Guardiola offered a hilarious gesture that left reporters in no doubt about his weekend plans.

In a moment of light-hearted gamesmanship, Guardiola crossed his arms above his head in the iconic "Hammers" salute and shouted, "Come on, you Irons!" The joke was a public endorsement of West Ham, who host Arsenal on Sunday in a game that could have a major say in the Premier League title race.

On the pitch, City did their part by securing a vital three points against the Bees. It took nearly an hour to break the deadlock, but the defending champions eventually ran out 3-0 winners to move within two points of Arsenal. Crucially, the margin of victory also brought City to within a single goal of the Gunners' goal difference.

Despite the emphatic result, Guardiola is well aware that the destiny of the title remains out of his hands. Speaking after the match, the Spaniard pointed to Arsenal’s remarkable consistency this season as evidence of the challenge still facing his side, saying, "We are fighting with a team quite similar to Liverpool in the past, in the final of the Champions League without losing a game and have been top of the league almost all season."

Guardiola remains focused on a gruelling schedule that includes an FA Cup final against Chelsea and tricky league fixtures against Crystal Palace, Bournemouth and Aston Villa. The manager is under no illusions about the difficulty of the task ahead as the season reaches its conclusion.

"It's not in our hands now, so it depends on them dropping points, but all we can do is win again on Wednesday, play the final of the FA Cup and go to Bournemouth – I'd say that is not the best one to go to – and Aston Villa," Guardiola said. "The calendar is demanding, but it's simple. It's just two weeks and the season will be over."

After a challenging previous campaign, the city manager revealed he is relishing the pressure of a domestic and European hunt. The contrast between last season's struggles and the current hunt for silverware has clearly revitalised the former Barcelona coach.

"I love to be here again. Finishing second again is the minimum, so I love it. I didn't enjoy last season, and the moment to fight to qualify for the Champions League was difficult, but the Carabao Cup is in our pocket, and the FA Cup final at Wembley is the most beautiful day of the season, and I love it," he added. "When you arrive and have the feeling that the job can be done, well done. When you arrive fighting against Arsenal, with many changes, seeing how they help each other in every training session, it is a joy."