Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice was quick to tell his team-mates that the race for the Premier League title is far from over despite defeat to Manchester City, and now Pep Guardiola knows it too
Josep Guardiola was a fan of Declan Rice’s actions after Manchester City’s win over Arsenal (Image: Sky Sports)
Josep Guardiola said he “loved” the message Declan Rice gave his team-mates on the pitch shortly after Arsenal’s heavy defeat to title rivals Manchester City.
The England midfielder was also seen telling his team-mates that the title race was “not over yet” despite failing to make the most of their chances of defeating City with victory. In fact, Guardiola’s side are three points behind Arsenal, and if they win their game against Burnley, who are in the relegation zone, they could even take Arsenal on Wednesday night.
Asked about Rice’s comments, Guardiola waxed lyrical about the mentality of the midfielder and team-mates as they prepare to sprint to the finish with Manchester City.
“I love it. I love it. That’s why Arsenal exists,” the City manager told Sky Sports.
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“We saw it (on Monday) and it shows what Declan Rice means. That’s the mentality at Arsenal. We’ve faced that in the Premier League this (past) season and in the Carabao Cup as well, and it shows how competitive they are.”
“Otherwise, they wouldn’t have had the kind of season they had in the Premier League and went unbeaten in the Champions League, not just Mikel[Arteta]but the type of players who follow this message.”
“And in the bad moments, they have the resiliency to say, we’re there, we’re there. This is a good example for us of what kind of battle we’re going to face in six, five games for a title.”
Rice was also seen telling his team-mates after Arsenal’s defeat: “It’s not over yet” (Image: Sky Sports)
Arsenal and Manchester City will be level on points if they beat Burnley on Wednesday night, meaning there are still points left. The Gunners are aiming for their first league title since 2004, while City are aiming for their fifth domestic title in six years.
Asked later if he had shown his players a video clip of Rice saying “it’s not over yet”, Guardiola said: “They know exactly what they’re going to play in five games and we know exactly who they’re going to play in six games.”
“If people think just because we beat them that the title race is over, Declan Rice has shown us they’re there.”
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