Pep Guardiola has responded to footage of Declan Rice insisting the Premier League title race isn’t done, despite last weekend’s defeat to Manchester City.
Following Arsenal’s defeat to Manchester City last Sunday, the players were understandably a little downbeat. The team had seen their grip on the Premier League title loosen, knowing either team can now win the trophy with victories in their final five games.
Yet Declan Rice didn’t seem to be giving up at the final whistle, with the TV cameras catching him saying “it’s not done” to teammate Martin Odegaard.
The clip was put to City boss Pep Guardiola this week, and he suggested it’s indicative of Arsenal’s mentality this season.
“I love that,” Guardiola said. “That’s why Arsenal are there, it shows what Declan Rice means. It’s the Arsenal mentality, I know that. We face them in the Premier League this season, in the Carabao Cup, how competitive they are.
“Otherwise you cannot do the season they have done, or the season they have done so far. In the Premier League being there, in the Champions League being unbeaten so far.
“You have these types of – of course, Mikel [Arteta] – but the type of players that follow the message and be resilient in the bad moments. Still we are there, we are there, we are there. And that is a good example for us, that’s what we’re going to face.”
The Arsenal players certainly shouldn’t be giving up at this point. The difference between the two teams with five games remaining is just one goal, and the Gunners can throw the pressure back onto City with wins in their next two matches at home to Newcastle United and Fulham.
City don’t play in the Premier League until after those two games, so Mikel Arteta’s side have the chance to open up a six-point gap before their rivals are next in action.
City would have two games in hand, of course, but they’d need to win them. Two wins from the next two could start to spark some doubts in their minds, whereas more dropped points would only provide inspiration.
So Rice is right, it’s not done.
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