Pep Guardiola knows Liverpool’s truth won’t change, while Man City will teach Arsenal a harsh lesson

Did anyone really expect Manchester City to escape? The Premier League title race will go down to the final day, but there is a sense of inevitability about the outcome.

Liverpool, unfortunately, will not be involved, but Arsenal still have the chance to deny City a fourth consecutive league title and a sixth crown in seven years. Mikel Arteta’s side will have to rely on West Ham to do them a favor at the Etihad after being let down by Tottenham.

It’s a position the Reds know all too well. Twice before, Liverpool needed a final-day defeat of City to win the league, only to come up short. You would have to imagine that history will repeat itself this time for the Gunners.

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The celebrations from the City players after Erling Haaland’s brace gave them a 2-0 win at Spurs told you all. They know the title is almost theirs and no one will expect them to deliver their lines now.

As any Liverpool fan will tell you, you simply cannot give City an inch in the second half of the season. Pep Guardiola’s side have not lost a game since December and have dropped just eight points in their last 21 matches.

Arsenal, to their credit, have also been in pretty spectacular form, winning 15 of their last 17 games. That defeat at home to Aston Villa, however, looks set to be the result that ultimately denies them a first title in 20 years.

As such, Liverpool and Chelsea will remain the only teams to beat Guardiola to the Premier League crown. In fact, since he took over at Barcelona in 2008, Real Madrid are the only other team to deny him the league title.

And while Arsenal have shown signs they can compete with City over the past two years, they still have some way to go to reach the levels Liverpool have shown.

“To fight them (Liverpool) is one of the biggest achievements of my career. They are exceptional,” Guardiola said of Jürgen Klopp’s 2022 side.

“Liverpool are the toughest opponent I’ve ever faced in my 12-13 years as a manager.”

With his contract expiring next year, there’s every chance Guardiola will only be with City for one more season. That certainly won’t give Arsenal enough time to overtake Liverpool, according to the Spaniard.

The Gunners are closing in on City but are still a long way off the Reds’ efforts.