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Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola believes that Liverpool remain their nearest challengers for the Premier League title this season. That’s despite Arsenal making a lightning start to their own campaign, sitting top of the table after nine matches with Liverpool trailing a full 14 points behind.
After missing out on Champions League qualification last term, Arsenal, led by Guardiola’s old side-kick Mikel Arteta, have emerged a different side in 2022/23. The Gunners have won eight of their first nine Premier League matches and many counted them unlucky not to get anything from their sole defeat against Manchester United.
City remain the only side yet to lose in the league this season but they sit one point behind Arsenal with the table now taking shape. Comparatively, Liverpool have endured a shaky start with just two wins on the board thus far as their title hopes slip away.
Guardiola doesn’t see it that way, however, having gone to war with Jurgen Klopp for most of his stint at the Etihad. Despite his prior association with Arteta, he seemingly feels as though the Gunners aren’t quite ready to crash the party.
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Despite talk of who City’s nearest challengers might be, the Sky Blues themselves are heavy favourites to lift a fifth Premier League title in six years. Despite spluttering to a 0-0 draw against Copenhagen this week, partly thanks to an early Sergio Gomez red card, Guardiola’s side have breezed past solid teams this season including Manchester United and West Ham.
Erling Haaland’s incredible start since signing from Borussia Dortmund in the summer is a major part of City’s attacking threat. He has scored 20 goals in just 13 games this season in an amazing run that includes three league assists and Guardiola was asked about his influence on Friday.
“I don’t know [whether Haaland is revolutionary],” he added. “He is who he is, as a footballer, with his movement, and his pace, and his potential. I don’t know if it’s revolutionary, he’s one of the best so far there’s no doubt about that.
“Phil [Foden] is a threat, he is an important player for many things. It’s a new game, we have to start from zero. It’s a lot [to score 50 goals for Man City], he has played a lot of games, important ones and always he produces something special.”
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