'Imagine beating Arsenal twice in a few weeks!' - Pep Guardiola lays down gauntlet to Man City stars ahead of Premier League 'final' against Gunners

The title-chasers capitalised on one of their two games in hand by dismantling Chelsea in a ruthless second-half performance, significantly increasing the pressure on Mikel Arteta’s league leaders. This victory ensures that the deficit at the summit is now reduced to six points, with City still holding an additional game in hand to potentially close the gap further. The domestic surge comes at a time when their rivals have faltered, losing three of their last four matches across all competitions as the race for the Premier League crown intensifies.

Guardiola attributed his side’s recent success to a superior psychological edge rather than purely tactical adjustments, praising the internal hierarchy for fostering a winning culture. He believes the squad’s current freshness, aided by a rare lack of midweek European commitments, has allowed for more focused preparation on the training pitch.

Discussing the extraordinary mindset of his players and the magnitude of the upcoming fixture, the City manager said: “The second half was extraordinary because we had the mindset. It wasn’t tactics. We know each other for a long time and the players showed a good mentality to win here, which is never easy. The past was something unique, but we are growing. We have long weeks now we are out of Champions League. We are more fresh, in training, everyone knows exactly what they have to do."

He added: "We’ll see what happens next. Arsenal is a final but don’t tell me Brentford the next week will be easy. There are many things that are going to happen. I just said yesterday to the players they must relax."

The City boss was quick to remind his players of the sheer difficulty of the task ahead, acknowledging Arsenal as the benchmark for excellence in Europe so far this season. Having only recently defeated the Gunners at Wembley to lift the Carabao Cup on March 22, Guardiola remains wary of complacency despite City’s historical record of losing just once in their last 43 matches during the final 10 games of a campaign.

Reflecting on the respect owed to their rivals and the unique opportunity to beat them twice in quick succession, he added: “They have been the best team in this country, in Europe, so far. Beating Arsenal once is so difficult, imagine beating them twice in a few weeks. We have to rest. I would like to say to my fans - respect Arsenal a lot, they are an extraordinary team. Come to join us from minute one because the players will do the maximum.

"The mentality of the group. The hierarchy gave me the mentality of amazing players, that is the key to success. Always I felt in the last month and a half. Winning a lot in modern times is so complicated. We have a chance to prove ourselves again next week.”

The upcoming showdown against the Gunners on April 19 marks the beginning of a high-pressure run-in where City’s legendary end-of-season consistency will be put to the ultimate test. Following the Etihad 'final', Guardiola's men face a rapid turnaround with a trip to Burnley before a decisive May schedule featuring encounters with Everton, Brentford, Bournemouth and Crystal Palace. Boasting a formidable 74% win rate in their final 10 games over recent years, City look to maintain their momentum through to the season finale against Aston Villa on May 24.