Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has said he is uninterested in playing mind games ahead of this weekend’s crunch clash with Arsenal.
The Citizens take on Arsenal in the Premier League this weekend, as last season’s top two renew rivalries at the Etihad.
Arsenal have emerged as City’s closest challengers in each of the last two campaigns and Guardiola is anticipating another tough battle. City failed to beat Arsenal in either league fixture last season, though pipped the Gunners to the title by two points.
“Every season they get stronger, the depth of the squad. Even season is even better and better,” he said at his pre-match press conference.
“It’s always been a tight game, in the last few years. I think we are a good team but they’re good too. They do many good things, they’re a complete team, which is why they’ve been our biggest rivals in the last two seasons.
“In this early stage of the season, nothing more than the mood over the last few games [is at stake]. In terms of the table it’s not really important. It’ll be important when we go to London in the second half of the season.”
Guardiola ‘not good’ at mind games
Asked for what has been the key reason behind Arsenal’s development, Guardiola said he was keen to avoid being accused of playing mind games with potential comments.
“You can ask him (Mikel Arteta), because if I say something they’ll say I was playing mind games or something like that.
“I’ve always had a high opinion of him and his team. Both years have been close but we have been so strong as well, and still we are wrong.”
When suggested that he could play mind games with the Gunners, the Spaniard said: “No, I am not good on that.”
