PEP GUARDIOLA has cranked up the title mind games by claiming his Manchester City side are at a disadvantage as expectations are higher for them.
The City boss also insists Prem leaders Arsenal could hit 100 points and bitter rivals Manchester United are in the title race, too.
Pep Guardiola tried to put the pressure on leaders Arsenal rather than Man City
Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal went eight points clear at the top with Tuesday’s 0-0 home draw aganst third-placed Newcastle
Champions City can cut the Gunners’ lead to five points by beating Chelsea at Stamford Bridge tonight.
And Guardiola said: “The advantage of Arsenal and Manchester United right now is nobody has to win the Premier League and be 20 points ahead in November like Man City has to.
“And this is sometimes a big problem. Maybe it’s an advantage for the fact Arsenal haven’t won the Premier League for . . . I don’t know how many years.
“But when you play them, the smell of their history has to be there.”
Guardiola believes that if Arsenal, who last won the Prem in 2004 with their Invincibles, continue to gather points at this rate then it will be impossible to live with them.
Mikel Arteta’s Gunners have won 14 of their 17 Prem games, losing only once and notching a whopping 44 points.
Guardiola said: “Arsenal have an average that means they are going to do 100 — or more than 100 points. If they continue that way, we will not catch them.
“So we have to be almost perfect from here until the end of the season and hope that they drop a little bit, their performance.
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“Against Newcastle they were excellent again but we will see what happens.”
City want to lift a fifth Prem title in six seasons and Guardiola added: “What I want to see is us fighting, don’t give up, not now, not until the last chance is gone, until the last drop of water.
“The moment we are not able to win the Premier League, we have to be ready to compete next season.”
