Pep Guardiola has likened Manchester City’s bid to win the 2022/23 Premier League to the serving for a Wimbledon crown.
Manchester City this weekend will lift the Premier League should Arsenal lose against Nottingham Forest or they manage to beat Chelsea at the Etihad on Sunday.
The Citizens are also on the verge of winning the Treble this season after knocking off Real Madrid on Wednesday to reach the Champions League final.
In likening a potential league win, Pep said: “Tennis players say to serve to win Wimbledon is the most difficult one.”
“It’s non-stop. Of course we are satisfied to play the Champions League final but now is coming the most difficult thing.”
“But on Sunday the game is in our hands to win the most important competition.”
The Spaniard also confirmed that City have displayed the same mentality they have displayed in their previous title-winning seasons.
Though they spent majority of this season behind long-time league leaders Arsenal, Pep Guardiola believes his men have maintained a winning attitude.
Manchester City were behind then-league leaders Arsenal in April but they have closed the gap and topped the Gunners thanks to 11 league wins since February.
Pep Guardiola added that: “Now we talk about mentalities because we won. And I don’t believe in that. I defend the team when we lose and they had the same mentality.”
“This is the reality. To recover eight points on Arsenal – first we had one game in hand in that moment, so it was a little bit fake but we knew we had to win almost all games and they had to drop it.”
“If Arsenal had maintained the same rhythm as the first leg [half of the season] and doing what they had done it would not be possible to catch them. But they drop a few points and we were there. Again, another season, and that means a lot to us.”
Pep Guardiola and Manchester City Could Be Crowned Champions After Beating Chelsea
A win against Chelsea at the Etihad Stadium will hand Pep and his blue Army their 5th title in 6 years after overtaking Arsenal in the standings.
Sunday’s encounter against struggling Chelsea will be City’s last match at their home this season as they rest of the matches left for them are away to Brighton and Brentford.
As per reports, Premier League chiefs will travel to Manchester on Sunday as they prepare to hand City the title if they win Chelsea.
Alternatively, they could be crowned Champions even if they don’t kick the ball at all – that is if Arsenal who are second on the table lose to Nottingham Forest.
Should Manchester City triumph against Chelsea, it would see them lift the title in front of a packed Etihad Stadium after Sunday’s game.
But if they miss the opportunity to do so against Chelsea, the Premier League title will be presented to them on final day as the travel away to Brentford.
