Pep Guardiola fears his Manchester City side have fallen behind Arsenal in a number of areas.
The defending champions start the day five points behind Mikel Arteta’s side in second place with the Gunners taking on Manchester United on Sunday afternoon.
City can close the gap should that result go their way and they take care of business at home to Wolves.
But Guardiola, who has been dismissive of his side’s chances of retaining their title, has listed off where City fall short.
Asked about the qualities his side lack that he sees in Arsenal, Guardiola said: ‘It’s the past. See what you have now.
‘They have everything with set pieces, defensive organisations, they defend ten players in the box, five or six in the back, good transitions, win duels.
‘How they celebrate the goals, how they talk, how they oomph, how they look at each other and talk and how they communicate. This is football and tactics. Right now we don’t have it.’
City suffered defeat in last Saturday’s Manchester derby but will now be hoping for a favour from their neighbours, who are the only side to beat Arsenal this season having secured a 3-1 win at Old Trafford in September.
But Guardiola insists any slip-ups from Arsenal count for nothing if his side do not improve their recent form.
‘It’s not about that. It’s not about that,’ Guardiola said when asked if he would be hoping for a United win on Sunday.
‘They lose against United? If we play like this we will not catch them. We need to change ourselves and after if Arsenal continue for a long time, we have to congratulate them.
‘It is not about three or four points. Sooner or later we are going to fall down.’
City and Arsenal meet twice in quick succession over the next weeks with an FA Cup fourth round clash at the Etihad looming on Friday before the Gunners welcome the champions to north London on 15 February.
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