Pep Guardiola is expecting an open title race in the Premier League this season and insists it will not be ‘one or two teams’ challenging Manchester City’s dominance of the division.
City won a fifth title in just six seasons last term as part of a historic treble-winning campaign, but Guardiola is expecting a difficult challenge to retain their Premier League crown.
The Citizens face Arsenal in the Community Shield this weekend, with the Gunners having pushed Guardiola’s side close for the title last season. The north Londoners have since invested more than £200m in new signings and Guardiola expects Arsenal to challenge at the top once again.
“Arsenal have been [a top side] since Arsene Wenger installed the club in that position. He changed many things in English football, his influence was massive – maybe the greatest in terms of something new that maybe wasn’t here.
“Maybe the style dropped in the last years but Mikel brought them again to where they have been,” he told his pre-match press conference.
Guardiola believes it will be more than just his side and this weekend’s opponents competing for the title however, insisting City have ‘more obstacles than ever’ in their pursuit of the Premier League.
“There is not one or two teams [challenging us] but a lot of teams who will fight for everything. The challenge is massive for us. Mentally, how we can grow as a team and football wise?
“The challenge is there. How starving are we, how is our desire to defend what we won? We will see during a process of 11 months during the lower moments. I think we will have more [obstacles] than ever, so it is how we overcome them.”
