Guardiola: Arsenal match is not key

Pep Guardiola believes that the upcoming match against Arsenal, which will take place tomorrow, will not be of key importance in the race for the championship title. In his discussion with journalists, the Manchester City manager stated that the defining moment will be the match in the second round.

"This match will not determine much. When they come here, to the Etihad, at the end of March, it will be different – by then, it will depend on the situation we find ourselves in," Guardiola remarked.

Instead, Guardiola is more focused on the Champions League, as he wants to secure early qualification for the knockout stage as quickly as possible. After victories in the first two group stage matches against Red Star Belgrade and Leipzig, their chances of early progression from the group are very high.

"We've taken an incredible step forward in the Champions League. In this half-year, the Champions League is undoubtedly the most important event until February when it starts again. If we qualify for the Champions League playoffs, we can focus on the Premier League. On Wednesday, we took a big step by defeating Leipzig, and now we have Arsenal ahead," he added.

At present, Manchester City leads the Premier League table. After seven matches, the "Citizens" have secured six wins. Arsenal, on the other hand, is only one point behind them.