Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City are poised to secure a historic fourth consecutive Premier League title if they can overcome Tottenham Hotspur in a crucial league match on Tuesday.
The outcome of this clash could also influence the title race in favour of north London rivals Arsenal, provided Tottenham can claim points against City at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Spurs recently returned to winning form by staging a comeback victory against Burnley, keeping their slim hopes of chasing down fourth-placed Aston Villa alive in the race for Champions League qualification.
Meanwhile, City maintained their pressure on Arsenal with a commanding 4-0 win over Fulham. With the title race finely poised, any misstep could prove costly for both sides.
Aston Villa, Spurs’ competitors for the top-four finish, managed to secure a point against Liverpool by staging a late comeback to draw 3-3. Despite this, Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham team still has a chance to clinch fourth place by defeating Man City and Sheffield United on the final day, provided Villa lose to Crystal Palace.
For the Citizens, dropping points against Spurs would severely dent their title aspirations, potentially paving the way for Arsenal to claim the crown.
Pep has emphasised the importance of seizing the opportunity to make history and maintain City’s pursuit of a fourth successive Premier League title.
The Spaniard underlined the urgency for his team to secure a victory at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, warning that failure to do so could result in Arsenal being crowned champions.
Victory would give Man City the chance to claim a fourth straight title when they play West Ham at the Etihad Stadium on the final day of the season, a feat that has not been achieved in English football history.
“At the beginning of the season, we didn’t think about the four Premier Leagues,” Guardiola said in his pre-match conference on Monday.
“If we are in February, March, April and we are still there, we can still do it, after that ignites something In all our heads that says guys no team has done it. That shows you how hard it is.
“Liverpool in the 1980s, Sir Alex Ferguson’s United in the 1990s, Chelsea with Roman Abramovich and Jose Mourinho and Arsenal with Arsene Wenger didn’t do it, so if it’s not been done it’s difficult. It’s as simple as that.”
Spurs have won their last four Premier League home games against City without conceding a single goal.
They need the three points to ensure they qualify for Europe next season, but there have been suggestions some of their fans would rather lose to City and dent Arsenal’s title hopes.
Guardiola, however, said he’s expecting Tottenham to be at their best and any accusation they could drop their level would “offend” manager Ange Postecoglou.
“I give you my advice, don’t ask this question to Ange or the players,” said the City manager. “Don’t ask them, they’d be offended. He will be offended. I never imagined one player or a manager who didn’t prepare a game to win it. Maybe they have a chance to qualify for the Champions League.
“Of course, your rival is your rival, but when you see your team you want to play well, they will be at their best, I’m pretty sure of that.” (BusinessDay)
