And the boss expects Arsenal to bounce back after we knocked them off the top of the table following our 3-1 win at the Emirates Stadium.
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The Gunners have taken just one point from their last three games as well as losing to City in the FA Cup, but they still have a match in hand and come to the Etihad Stadium for our second Premier League clash in April.
City were eight points off top spot just over a month ago, and Guardiola says it’s important to remain in touching distance of the top going into the final weeks of the season.
“It’s important to be there when we are close to the end of the season,” he said ahead of Saturday’s trip to Nottingham Forest. “I had a feeling we are still there. If we drop, we drop and don’t go but we’re still in the top more or less.
“Arsenal in the first leg were unstoppable and I know how good they are, we felt how strong they are.
“I saw it in the games against Everton and Brentford. And I felt, still they are there. We saw the game, we won it, they will still be there.
“We cannot be confused, not for the fact in the last four games they didn’t win or whatever.
“I didn’t have the feeling they don’t follow Mikel. I didn’t have the feeling they are a little bit disappointed for the last results, still they are alive and they will be alive to the end of the season, that’s why we need to continue.”
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But Guardiola says that it’s not just City and Arsenal that are in the title race despite sitting at the top with 51 points.
The boss says that Manchester United, Newcastle United, Tottenham and Brighton are all in the hunt for the crown.
“It is very close,” he said. “United, Newcastle they are close, really close – [with] a lot of games [to play] of course they are there. And Tottenham I would say is not far, far away.
“Brighton have two games in hand and the way they are playing, they deserve to be there. Brighton control the games not like many teams. So many things can happen.”
While City have moved top for the first time since November, Guardiola said they would still be chasing the title even if recent results had not gone our way.
“In football, I’ve said many times now we could be 10-12 points behind, even with those games left,” he said.
“And we are top of the league right now for two nights, just two nights - at the end of the season top of the league then we’re a game level with Arsenal.
“You never, never can give up. You must never.”
