Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has confessed that it is a difficult to challenge Arsenal at the moment.
He says the patience Arsenal management had with coach Mikel Arteta paid off and has produced a formidable team.
Arteta worked as Guardiola’s assistant at City for three-and-a-half years before taking his first senior managerial role at the Emirates in 2019.
The Spaniard had immediate success in winning the 2020 FA Cup, but failed to break into the Premier League’s top four in any of his first three seasons.
Now Arsenal are well on course to end a 19-year wait to win a league title as they lead City by five points and have a game in hand on Guardiola’s men.
The two sides face off for the first of three meetings in the coming months in the FA Cup fourth round on Friday.
“I had the feeling. We knew it when he was here,” said Guardiola on Arteta’s coaching ability.
“The biggest compliment for Arsenal as well is for backing him in the bad moments and trusting him, and keeping him and relying on him.
“At the end, you need time, you need investment and the results are there. It is a challenge for us to challenge them.”
