Pep Guardiola always considers Mikel Arteta one of his closest friends in the coaching world, but that doesn't make the Premier League championship race between Manchester City and Arsenal any easier.
Guardiola understands that if Arteta wants to bring Arsenal to their first Premier League title since 2004, the London team will have to overcome the biggest pressure that Man City can create.
Despite actively rotating the squad and leaving Erling Haaland, Jeremy Doku and Rayan Cherki on the bench to preserve strength for the FA Cup final against Chelsea, Man City still easily defeated Crystal Palace 3-0 at the Etihad.
This victory helps Guardiola's team continue to maintain a 2-point gap with Arsenal, while sending a clear message that they will not give up until the final round.
With Arsenal, the problem is now very simple. If they win the remaining 2 matches against Burnley and Crystal Palace, they will win the championship regardless of Man City's result. If they can do that, Arteta will not only bring home the first Premier League title for the "Gunners" after more than two decades, but also have the opportunity to close a historic season if he defeats Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final in Budapest.
However, Man City has refused to give Arsenal any pause in this race. The close goal difference after the victory over Palace makes every goal in the last two rounds extremely important. Guardiola understands that the only thing The Citizens can do at this time is to constantly put psychological pressure on Arsenal.
We just need to continue to win and make them always stressed" - Phil Foden shared after the match.
The English midfielder also recalled that the Premier League has witnessed many upsets at the last minute, and Man City understands that better than anyone after the breathtaking championships in 2012 or 2022.
In that context, Man City still showed a formidable squad depth. Guardiola finished the match against Crystal Palace by fielding up to six attacking players on the field, including Doku, Omar Marmoush, Savinho, Antoine Semenyo, Foden and then Haaland.
That clearly reflects Man City's ambition. Not only to win, but they also have to score many goals to create maximum advantage if the championship race is decided by goal difference.
Foden is a typical image for Man City's season. Despite experiencing a period of decline in form and not scoring a goal in 2026 before this match, the English player still knows how to shine at the right time with two classy assists for Semenyo and Marmoush.
Meanwhile, Arsenal does not possess the same attacking depth and explosive ability as Man City - which could become a decisive factor in the final sprint.
If the championship race lasts until the last minutes of the season, Man City will enter that battle with the familiar confidence of a team that has won many times under pressure. As for Arsenal, the biggest question at this time is whether they have enough bravery to withstand the pressure that Guardiola and Man City are constantly creating.
