Manchester City will travel to Arsenal on Sunday for their Premier League encounter. The result could prove to be vital to both teams’ campaigns. Despite their run of bad form form, manager Pep Guardiola believes Arsenal are more dangerous than ever.
Guardiola commented on Arsenal’s potential. The manager expects the London side to play even better when desperately needing a win. Wenger’s team is in sixth place. After losing four of their last five games, a defeat against Man City could spell an end to their Champions League ambitions.
Guardioala has been among the manager’s defending Arsene Wenger. The Frenchman faces pressure from fans calling for his resignation. Arsenal’s recent poor showing has seen them be eliminated from the Champions League, as well as underform domestically.
“They are professional, Arsene is so professional and the players as well. They want to win every game. When you lose a lot of games, it’s a more dangerous moment to face them. I would prefer Arsenal with a lot of wins,” Guardioala said of Sunday’s game.
“Everybody knows them. There’s quality in the side, with Alexis [Sanchez] going in perfect runs inside with [Theo] Walcott, [Alex] Oxlade-Chamberlain. Good quality. Arsenal are a top team.”
“I travelled there with Barcelona and Bayern Munich and it was always so difficult. We won once or twice, sometimes we lose, sometimes we draw. It’s always difficult at the Emirates against a tough team [who are] always fighting to be in the top four.”
“Every game is a new one, so every game is a new situation. I think against the big teams – except, I said many times, White Hart Lane [where City lost 2-0 to Tottenham] – we played good all the games and deserved more than we achieved.”
Arsene Wenger has, for the most part, opted to ignore the criticism. The manager said his future at the club is decided, but did not specify whether he will stay or leave. Guardioala thinks that Arsenal fans will soon change their opinion when their team’s form improves.
“We are strong when we win and we are weak when we are not winning,” Guardiola said. “When [Wenger] goes back to winning, the fans will be happy again. I promise you. One hundred per cent.”
“I’m pretty sure the fans respect what Arsene Wenger has done and what he’s doing. When the bosses decide or Arsene decides, he believes it will be the best decision for Arsene and for Arsenal. For the fans, and the journalists, it depends on the results – nothing else.”
Wenger’s arrival at Arsenal in 1996 was an event that drastically changed the Premier League. Nicknamed “Le Professeur” , the manager helped Arsenal to three Oremier League titles and 6 F.A. Cup wins. However, success was sparse in recent years. Wenger says he is aware is not bigger than the club itself.
“Arsenal is a world brand today, respected all over the world, and the Arsenal name is bigger than my name and come to Arsenal is more important than… you don’t come to Arsene Wenger, you come to Arsenal.”
