Pep Guardiola praises Arsenal and denies ‘mind games’

Pep Guardiola has praised Arsenal ahead of their visit to Manchester City this weekend, before claiming he’s not trying to play mind games.

Arsenal face Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday, September 22nd, and Pep Guardiola had a lot of praise for the weekend’s opponents in his pre-game press conference.

“Year by year Arsenal get better, it’s because they invest a lot in a deep squad,” Guardiola said. “The depth of squad, adding more players, top quality.

“If I say something, they will say I am playing mind games or something like that; but I have a high opinion about them.”

Much as he might try to preempt the assertion, it’s understandable that many would view Guardiola’s comments as mind games.

The City manager knows he’s had the upper hand against Arsenal when it comes to recent trophy wins, and praise of Sunday’s opponents reads like indirect praise of his own achievements for staying ahead of Mikel Arteta’s side.

Arsenal have had a better record against Manchester City in their immediate history, with the Gunners winning the Community Shield, winning at the Emirates Stadium, and drawing at the Etihad Stadium last season.

But before that, it was eight defeats in a row, and it’s been almost a decade since Arsenal last won at the Etihad.

With the help of unprecedented levels of squad investment in the not-so-distant past, for which City are currently on trial with the Premier League, Guardiola’s side had a huge headstart over Arteta’s Arsenal.

That gap may have closed, but City remain the team to beat, and Guardiola knows that.