Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has appeared to suggest that he sees Arsenal as bigger Premier League title rivals than Liverpool in a subtle dig.
City have lifted five of the last six top-flight trophies and Jurgen Klopp’s side are the only team to have stopped their dominance, landing the title in 2019-20.
Arsenal, though, pushed City all the way last term and looked destined for their first Premier League trophy since 2004 but a late capitulation saw them miss out.
There are just 11 games left this season and all three clubs are locked in a tense title race, with Liverpool currently top of the table on 63 points.
Guardiola’s champions sit second – just one point behind Liverpool ahead of Sunday’s trip to Anfield – while Arsenal find themselves third on 61 points.
The Gunners have been in remarkable form in recent weeks, scoring 31 goals in their last seven top-flight games, winning all of them.
Liverpool, meanwhile, only recorded a 1-0 victory in their last match against Nottingham Forest thanks to Darwin Nunez’s controversial 99th-minute winner.
Guardiola appeared to reference that match in his press conference on Friday and said: ‘Arsenal is already there, last season they were our biggest rivals.
‘Look how they play. Liverpool need more than 90 minutes to win the game, Arsenal sometimes need 25 minutes to win the games.’
Guardiola has also completely ignored comments made by Trent Alexander-Arnold in which he claimed that trophies meant more to Liverpool.
Quizzed about Alexander-Arnold’s remarks, the City boss changed the subject completely and said: ‘I wish him well.
‘I wish him a speedy recovery to come back to the pitch as soon as possible. Speedy recovery and next question.’
City duo Erling Haaland and Ruben Dias bit back at Alexander-Arnold but Guardiola has attempted to defuse the situation.
‘They defend the club not by responding to this guy but what they have done for many years on the pitch every three days,’ Guardiola added.
‘That is the best way. I could answer but why? It is what it is. I’m incredibly proud of what we have done and I don’t need that to feel that my players are really trying to do it.
‘I’m so happy with my players all the time over many, many years. Do you think we’re going to fight because Erling and Ruben talk? We are there and we know what happened over the last years and we are going to try again and do a good game.’
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