It’s Not Over Yet” – City Boss Reacts After Frustrating Draw at West Ham
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has sent a strong message to Arsenal, insisting that the Premier League title race is still alive. This is despite his team falling further behind the Gunners after a disappointing 1-1 draw against West Ham on Saturday night.
Earlier in the day, Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal did their job properly by beating Everton 2-0 at the Emirates Stadium. That win temporarily put them 10 points clear. Even though City’s draw at the London Stadium closed that gap to nine points, the pressure is now reaching a boiling point for the defending champions.
Speaking after the match, a calm but firm Guardiola refused to throw in the towel. “It’s not over,” he told reporters. “We didn’t lose. We will continue. Nine points is a lot against a team like Arsenal, but we have to try until the end.”
City fans are pointing to the fact that they still have one game in hand and a massive “six-pointer” against Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium next month. Guardiola knows that if they win those games, the gap shrinks significantly. “I’m not saying it will be easy to beat them, but there is hope. When it is no longer possible, we will congratulate the champion, but for now, we fight.”
One of the biggest talking points is the form of Erling Haaland. The Norwegian goal-machine has struggled lately, scoring only three goals in his last 12 league matches. Against West Ham, he missed three or four big chances in the first half that could have buried the game.
Guardiola, however, defended his star striker. “Erling knows we need his goals, but we also need to create more for him. It’s about the whole team and the vibes they feel. Erling will be back, and maybe very soon.”
It has been a rough week for the blue half of Manchester. Between the draw with West Ham and the 3-0 loss to Real Madrid in the Champions League, many people feel City’s season is about to crumble. Guardiola admitted that his team has lost the “killer instinct” they used to have.
“To win the Premier League, you need to be consistent,” Pep explained. “In the past, we always found a way to win these types of games. This season, we are creating many chances but not scoring enough, and we are being punished for it.”
City now have just three days to recover before they face Real Madrid on Tuesday night. They need a “miracle” to overturn that 3-0 deficit, but as Guardiola says, as long as there is a game to play, there is a chance.”
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