Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola doesn’t believe that Arsenal will slip up in their remaining fixtures.

Gary Neville says that the Gunners could well drop points against Manchester United on Sunday but, when asked about how he’s approaching the last three league games this season, Guardiola was adamant that his side must secure wins in all of them:

“If we don’t win, we won’t be champions, so when that happens it’s easier. You see the level of consistency [that Arsenal have] since the winter break, the way they’re playing.”

“It’s not the fact that they’re winning, it’s the way they play, so you smell that they’re not going to lose in the games they have left. They’re not going to.”

Guardiola is trying to keep his players focused

Considering how consistent the Cityzens have been in recent seasons when battling rivals for the Premier League title, you wouldn’t expect anything else from Guardiola in terms of his mindset.

He is keen for his team to avoid distractions and not get sucked into thinking that Arsenal will draw or lose one of their games.

Guardiola is working on the assumption that the Gunners will secure six points from their matches versus United and Everton so that means the Cityzens have to win all three of their games in order to secure top spot.

City can apply pressure with a win against Fulham

While Guardiola was quick to play down any suggestions that playing first this weekend will give the reigning champions any sort of advantage, a victory at Craven Cottage would put them top of the table, at least briefly.

That will change the dynamic in the title race slightly as, in recent weeks, it has been City playing catch-up. The reverse could be the case when Arsenal’s players walk out at Old Trafford, and that could affect them psychologically. Whatever happens, though, we are about to arrive at a defining moment in the season.