Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has referenced Arsenal and Manchester United in a warning to his side as they chase a third consecutive Premier League title.
City’s 3-1 win over Leeds on Wednesday restored their gap to league leaders Arsenal to five points. Erling Haaland netted twice, with Rodri also getting his name on the scoresheet.
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Should Guardiola’s side manage to overhaul Arsenal at the season’s end, they would become the sixth team to win three consecutive English top division titles, and the second, after United (1999-2001, 2007-09), in the Premier League era.
It would be an incredible achievement for the Cityzens, who have already won four league titles since the Spaniard took charge in 2016.
They have won seven of their last 10 league games, with defeats to Liverpool and Brentford, as well as a draw at Aston Villa, happening along the way.
And Guardiola has warned his players that they need to be at their best in the second stage of the Premier League, following the World Cup break.
Guardiola sends Man City warning
Speaking prior to the victory over Leeds, Guardiola also used Arsenal and United’s struggle to replicate success after winning their most recent Premier League titles as a warning to City.
He told Amazon Prime Video (quotes via Manchester Evening News): “You always have the feeling we have the time, but when you fight teams like [Arsenal and United] we don’t have time, so immediately have to try to make a result, otherwise it will be impossible.
“They [Arsenal] didn’t win [the league] for a long time, and sometimes this margin makes the difference, and we talk a lot about that, we have to try to do.
“It’s not about doubting these players, how should I? I’m here with success thanks to them, I know they are able to do it so we know something is going to change and we will be there.
“When 90s Arsenal and United were there dominating, controlling the Premier League, who expected there would be a decade of them not winning a Premier League? It could happen to us.
“That is warning I have to say, and if we are not going to do it we don’t have to change managers or players because this club right now, Manchester City, we want to be there as much as possible.”
Cityzens set to trigger Maximo Perrone release clause
Manchester City are set to trigger the release clause of Velez Sarsfield midfielder Maximo Perrone, according to Fabrizio Romano.
THE LOWDOWN: PERRONE PROFILED
Perrone is 19 years of age and can play as a holding or central midfielder. He has made 33 senior appearances for his current employers and is an Argentina U20 international.
The youngster saw his Transfermarkt valuation increase to a career-high €8.5m in recent months and has been linked with both Newcastle and Wolves, but it looks as if the Etihad may well be his next destination.
THE LATEST: ROMANO’S POST
Reliable reporter Romano took to Twitter on Thursday evening to share some transfer news he’s heard out of the Etihad.
He revealed that City are ‘set’ to trigger Perrone’s $8m release clause and said that a deal could gather pace quickly if all goes to plan.
THE VERDICT: SMART MOVE
Romano added that Perrone is considered a ‘huge talent’ and the player has also been described as a ‘spectacular‘ prospect by Argentina legend Gabriel Heinze, so an $8m move could be a shrewd one.
Pep Guardiola struck gold with a move for Argentine attacker Julian Alvarez over the summer, with the forward recently helping his country win the World Cup in Qatar.
You’d expect that there is more to come from Alvarez in Manchester, and he could now be joined by Perrone in a City shirt for years to come.
Source: sportbible.com; footballtransfertavern.com
