Pep Guardiola says he “couldn’t care less” about Arsenal’s slip in the Premier League, focusing instead on Newcastle ahead of Saturday’s clash

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has downplayed Arsenal’s recent stumbles in the Premier League, insisting his team remains focused on their next match against Newcastle.

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City are five points behind Arsenal with a game in hand and a home clash against Mikel Arteta’s side coming in April.

Despite the opportunity to close the gap, Guardiola refused to get carried away.

“I didn’t talk about the table, or our position or something like that. I could not care less,” he told reporters. “Just Newcastle, Newcastle, Newcastle. It’s 12 games left, it’s an eternity.”

Guardiola highlighted the importance of experience in tight title races, noting that 70 per cent of Arsenal players are new and may lack the resilience required in such situations.

He recalled how Arsenal had previously let leads slip in the 2023 and 2024 seasons, allowing City to snatch the trophy.

He said, “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.”

On another issue, Guardiola addressed racism in football, responding to allegations of abuse against Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior by Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni.

He stressed that racism is a societal problem, not confined to football.

“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,” he said.

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Guardiola’s comments reflect a focus on immediate challenges while acknowledging broader societal issues affecting the sport.