Read everything Pep Guardiola and Mikel Arteta said ahead of the 2023/24 Premier League title race between Manchester City and Arsenal going down to the final day.
| Position Pos | Club | Played Pl | GD | Points Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Man City
MCI
|
38 | +62 | 91 |
| 2 |
Arsenal
ARS
|
38 | +62 | 89 |
TV Info - Broadcasters
Arteta on if West Ham can do Arsenal a favour v Man City...
"It is one of the biggest weeks for many of us. Now is the most important moment. We are excited and can’t wait for Sunday. We are very optimistic in terms of outcome.
"The hope is there. We have to do our job because Everton will be tough. We have to prove again that we can be better than the opponent. Then we have to wish for West Ham to have a really good day and help us to fulfil our dream."
Guardiola: West Ham ready to beat us...
"We would like to be 3-0 up after 10 minutes but that's not going to happen.
"I'm ready for it to be a tough, tough game. I want to put in the mind of the players, 'look at Tottenham [on Tuesday], how they fought for every ball'.
"[West Ham] will be ready to beat us. I don't have any doubt about that. It was the same with Aston Villa two years ago - they were in the same position, they didn't have anything to play for - and we know what happened.
"Our people have to come here and be ready from the first minute, to be with us and do it together."
Arteta on if he's spoken to West Ham manager David Moyes...
"I don’t need to do that. He has been instrumental and important to both my footballing career and managerial. He could help us to fulfil my personal dream."
Guardiola on Moyes...
“He won’t retire, he’ll be back. His age and experience is involved cause he can’t be at home, he will be back.
“First game v Sunderland and David Moyes was there. My first game in the Premier League. Important game, he will be there. It’s always an honour to see him. Lovely person. He will do everything to beat us."
Arteta on chances of Man City dropping points...
"It is really difficult to beat any opposition in the Premier League, especially when something is at stake. But that is not in our control.
"They are a little bit of a step closer than us but they will play a really tough opponent. I am sure [West Ham] will be at it and can help us to achieve our dream."
Guardiola on if Arsenal will drop points and make their job easier...
"If you are waiting for them to drop [points] and become champions, you are wrong. If you are thinking Arsenal are going to drop points at Old Trafford [last week], forget about it. If you are thinking Everton are going to do something [at Arsenal on Sunday], forget about it."
Arteta on if he'll be monitoring the Man City score...
"There will be 60,000 fans, staff and assistant coaches on their phones, so I think that will be enough! It will be different but you just have to focus on what you have to do."
Guardiola on what his team need to do...
"We want to experience it again and we have to perform. You can't think 'we want to win it', you have to do something to [earn] it, you have to be resilient in the bad moments like what happened against Aston Villa [in 2022] and against Spurs in the last game.
"Don't talk about the consequences, just what you have to do to win, to control it, the transitions, the coolness, the set-pieces, the long balls - how you defend every single ball. There's a lot of stuff that West Ham demand that you have to do, and you have to do it perfect. These are the only things on my mind."
Arteta on Arsenal's dream being alive...
"The only thing we have discussed is giving ourselves the opportunity to live a beautiful day. The dream is still alive because it is football.
"We have to play like we do every single week and understand that, for the dream to happen, we have to win and then hope that West Ham will help us. Whatever happens it will be emotional on the day."
Guardiola on it being in Man City's hands...
"Even if we don't win it, [the players] have been so fine in this period. Still we are here together, nothing's going to change.
"But if you ask all the Premier League teams at the beginning of the season what would be the better position in the last game of the season, we are in the best position. That's for sure. We have one game left, destiny's in our hands."
Arteta on if it will be a good season for Arsenal if they fall short...
"I can’t think like this! I have to think we will win the game and then hopefully something beautiful is going to happen.
"There is hope around the building! It will be the last day of the season and we are playing for the Premier League trophy.
"It hasn’t yet been at the Emirates Stadium, which has been open for over 20 years, so yes we will have to be very optimistic. We have to do our duties and then see what happens."
