'He will do it' - Pep Guardiola issues Man City title warning amid Mikel Arteta Arsenal battle
Pep Guardiola expects Arsenal to continue challenging for the Premier League title for "a long, long time". The Gunners are two points behind Manchester City heading into the final day of the season.
City, at home to West Ham on the final day, are fully expected to lift the title for the fourth straight season, with Arsenal once again expected to come up just short for the second year in a row.
But Guardiola has warned his players and everyone at City that they must be prepared to do it all over again, with Arsenal unlikely to go away under his former assistant coach Mikel Arteta.
Speaking to Sky Sports ahead of the final day, Guardiola said: "Whatever happens on Sunday if you don't start to be ready to compete again with them (Arsenal) they will take our position because I know Mikel, I know the team, Arsenal the institution, but I know Mikel, it's going to happen because he's a huge competitor."
City just need to win on Sunday to secure a historic fourth title in a row - something which has not been done before - but Guardiola is "certain" Arsenal will be back next year, fighting once again for the title.
He added: "Arsenal have given us the message and we take it. I have few certain things in my life. I wake up in the morning and I go to sleep at night, these things will happen for the rest of my life.
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"The other certainty, with the age they have, with the manager they have and the way they were playing for the last two seasons, they will stay here for a long, long time, that's why we get the message."
And in a message to the Arsenal fans, Guardiola did not quite say it was certain Arsenal would win the league title, but did make mention to Arteta's competitiveness saying: "I've felt it. He will do it. He will do it."