Pep Guardiola hailed the devastating connection between Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland after Manchester City’s pivotal victory over Arsenal.
Haaland set up De Bruyne twice before the Norwegian scored himself, as the champions beat the leaders 4-1 to move two points behind them, with two matches in hand.
“[Kevin] is a special player,” said Guardiola. "Today was a game where we expected high pressing [from Arsenal]. When there’s high pressing, it’s long balls, second balls.
“We were able to win it in contact with Kevin, and then we could run with Erling. It’s an incredible threat up front, the connection with them, and Kevin was brilliant.
See: Haaland sets record for goals in a 38-match season
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“We made a really good game from all aspects - the concentration, set-pieces, defensively how aggressive we were to create a good environment.
“From the beginning we started really well, we read the game well. Our build-up was much, much better than [in the reverse fixture] at the Emirates, when we could not do it. Considering the opponents we faced, we made a fantastic performance.”
Guardiola’s decision to pick Manuel Akanji at left-back paid off as Man City restricted Arsenal to just two shots on target, with one of them being a consolation goal from Gunners defender Rob Holding.
“It was so difficult to decide,” Guardiola added. “I thought a lot about putting Aymeric [Laporte] in that position. Our build-up with Aymer, he’s the best we have.
“But when I saw Manuel playing against Kingsley Coman and Leroy [Sane], against Bayern Munich, how defensively he was so strong one against one in that position, I decided ‘OK, [Bukayo] Saka is an incredible threat and we need a guy who can sustain a one against one, like Kyle [Walker] and [Gabriel] Martinelli, because they are so good. And we could jam more of the players inside, but at the sides we should control these two players because they are amazing’.”
| Position Pos | Club | Played Pl | GD | Points Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Man City
MCI
|
38 | +61 | 89 |
| 2 |
Arsenal
ARS
|
38 | +45 | 84 |
Man City remain on course to become only the second team to win the Premier League, UEFA Champions League and FA Cup, after their neighbours Manchester United in 1998/99.
“Of course, winning helps and being there in the semi-finals of the Champions League, the final of the FA Cup, it helps a lot,” said Guardiola. “The tiredness almost doesn’t exist.
“But the reality - it could feel I’m naive - is they are two points in front of us. Still we’re not top of the table. Of course we’ve had an incredible victory and we have two games in hand, but you have to win [them].
“I would love to have these two games in hand with six points, and after be in front of him [Mikel Arteta].
“In reality they are [in front], and we cannot lose our focus. The focus is tomorrow a good recovery, rest well and prepare for Fulham, because now we’re there, definitely it’s in our hands, and when it’s in our hands we have to use it.”
Also in this series
Part 1: Why City have gained more than three points on Arsenal
Part 3: Arteta: We're not going to give up
Part 4: Haaland sets record for goals in a 38-match season
Part 5: De Bruyne and Haaland put Man City in control in title race