Arsenal VS Man City Live Football Score 15 Feb 2023

Pep Guardiola says Manchester City will face the best Arsenal team since he has been in the Premier League at Emirates Stadium on Wednesday. Arsenal, managed by Guardiola’s former assistant Mikel Arteta, are seeking a first top-flight title since 2004. But City would climb above current league leaders Arsenal with a win. Asked whether this was the best Gunners side he had faced, Guardiola said at his news conference on Tuesday: “Since I’m here, yeah, definitely.” Guardiola is unbeaten against Arsenal in the Premier League, winning 11 of 12 fixtures – including the five most recent trips to Emirates Stadium. Wednesday’s game is the first league meeting between the two sides this season, although they did face each other in the FA Cup last month, with City winning 1-0 thanks to a second-half goal from Nathan Ake. However, in the league Arsenal have lost just two of their first 21 fixtures so far this campaign, accruing 51 points. It has left City with a major challenge to retain their crown, but Guardiola promised they would not be giving it up without a fight. He added: “The biggest motivation is that I don’t want to drop the Premier League just because we are not who we are.

“If they (Arsenal) beat us because they are better, then this is sport. I’ll be the first to congratulate them, as I’ve always done. But not because we are not there. You want it? OK, fight…take it. It’s in our hands. “We’ll defend this title until the last day – this is what I’d like. To fight to the maximum, to try to retain the title. If we don’t, accept it, but we need to give our best. My players have to feel that every day.” City won two Premier League titles in three seasons when Arteta was Guardiola’s assistant at the Etihad, and the former master was full of praise for the work his old apprentice has done since being appointed by Arsenal in 2019. Guardiola said: “So far, they are the best team in the Premier League. They played an incredible first round of fixtures. “We felt it, when we played them a few weeks ago, how committed and how sharp they are. “We have to try to read the game and it will be a big, big battle. In every department you have to be ready.” City cut the Gunners’ lead to three points with a 3-1 victory over Aston Villa on Sunday, the day after Arsenal were held to a 1-1 draw at home by Brentford.

For City it represented a strong response to defeat at Tottenham the previous week and Guardiola is now hoping to build momentum. He said: “I don’t believe in these statements that one week you can win and everything is perfect, tomorrow you can lose and everything is not good. “There are many games to play, a lot of points. Tomorrow is another one, it’s an important one, we know it, everyone knows it and we have to try to perform well.” The Citizens’ title hopes were boosted last weekend after the Gunners dropped two points – albeit in controversial circumstances – in a 1-1 draw against Brentford on Saturday. Just over 24 hours later, Pep Guardiola’s side responded to that draw and the Premier League’s allegations of breaching numerous financial rules by securing a defiant 3-1 victory against Aston Villa at the Etihad Stadium, courtesy of strikes from Rodri, Ilkay Gundogan and Riyad Mahrez. Man City now sit just three points behind Arsenal at the top of the table and a victory in North London would see the reigning champions leapfrog the Gunners to the Premier League summit on goal difference. While the Citizens should not underestimate the magnitude of Wednesday’s fixture and the challenge that awaits against Arsenal, they can head to the capital with plenty of optimism considering their impressive head-to-head record. Indeed, City have won each of their last 10 Premier League meetings against Arsenal, while they have also won each of their last six away matches at the Emirates across all competition.