Published: February 21, 2026
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has dismissed talk of capitalising on Arsenal’s recent stumbles in the Premier League title race, insisting he “couldn’t care less” about the Gunners’ draws and remains fully focused on City’s upcoming fixtures.
Arsenal, who had established a commanding lead at the top of the table, suffered damaging draws against Wolves and Brentford, handing City a lifeline in the race for the league crown. With a game in hand and a home match against Mikel Arteta’s side scheduled for April, City are now just five points behind the north London outfit.
However, Guardiola is refusing to be distracted by the shifting dynamics at the top of the table.
“I didn’t talk about the table, or our position or something like that. I could not care less,” Guardiola told reporters on Friday. “I didn’t talk about that for one second. Just Newcastle, Newcastle, Newcastle. If you ask me this question with two or three games left, I will have your answer. It’s 12 games left, it’s an eternity.”
City have a clear path to the title if they can maintain their momentum, needing to win all their remaining 12 matches to secure the championship for the fifth time in six seasons. Yet, Guardiola is keeping his focus on immediate challenges rather than long-term scenarios.
“Many things are going to happen until the end of the season. For now it is Newcastle, a rest, and after it Leeds. It has always been like that,” he said. “Seventy per cent of the players are new, so they don’t have the experience to live these kinds of situations. An experience is to win tomorrow. It is only one.”
Guardiola also reflected on City’s experience in previous title races, noting how Arsenal had previously squandered substantial leads in the 2023 and 2024 seasons, allowing City to snatch the trophy.
“Arsenal were nine points ahead when we had a game in hand, so whenever everybody is on the same games played, then after that we will see the difference. I understand you want to anticipate what is going to happen. That doesn’t count. It is Newcastle, that is all,” he said.
Speaking Out Against Racism
In the same press conference, Guardiola addressed the broader issue of racism, prompted by the recent Champions League controversy involving Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior and Benfica winger Gianluca Prestianni. Vinicius claimed he was racially abused during a match that was subsequently paused in line with UEFA regulations.
“There is a lot of work still to do. It is in society, it is not just in football. Racism is everywhere,” Guardiola said. “You pretend that racism is just for the colour of the skin? How you behave is racism. It’s how you pretend you are better than the other one just for many reasons.”
Guardiola’s comments underline the manager’s dual focus: maintaining City’s Premier League challenge while recognising football’s broader societal responsibilities.
