Guardiola: Man City’s Road To EPL Title Is Still Rough

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola says his team is well aware of the herculean task ahead of them as they close in on winning the English Premier League title with 10 games left to play.

Manchester City lead the English Premier League table with 72 points from 27 games, 13 ahead of second-placed Manchester United and 27 points ahead of Arsenal who sit sixth.

Guardiola claimed his first piece of silverware in England by winning the Carabao Cup on Sunday as Manchester City defeated Arsenal 3-0 in the final at Wembley Stadium.

“We are fighting for the most important title of the season, the Premier League,” Guardiola said during in his pre-match conference on Wednesday ahead of the Premier League clash against Arsenal at the Emirates on Thursday.

“We must be focused. The next six fixtures are difficult in terms of the quality of opposition, four are away. We have tough games to play and we must be focused.

“In the PL it’s a game every three days. The league is constant. The players know that. They know how important the league is for the club. We are always focused and we know how tough it will be until the end of the season.

Guardiola also revealed that Raheem Sterling who missed the Carabao Cup final remains a doubt for the game.

“Sterling is much, much better. I don’t know if he can play tomorrow but hopefully Chelsea or Basel. Fernandinho tomorrow is out,” Guardiola added.

The former Bayern Munich and Barcelona manager also paid tribute to the late Enrique Castro Quini who died after suffering a heart attack as he walked down the street close to his home on Tuesday afternoon in Spain.

“Warm regards to his family. Quini was a player who helped builds what Spanish football is now.

On youngster Phil Foden, Guardiola said: “Foden knows we want to keep him for a long time. He has to grow up and become strong but there is huge quality there.”