Pep Guardiola is relishing Manchester City’s congested fixture list, and hinted it could even give his side an advantage over Arsenal in the Premier League title race.
City are currently six points behind table toppers Arsenal, although they have played one game less than Mikel Arteta’s side.
The two sides will meet at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday, 26 April, meaning City will retain their league crown if they win all nine of their remaining games and better Arsenal’s goal difference.
However, while the Gunners only have their remaining eight league fixtures to worry about, City have at least 11 matches to cram into the next month-and-a-half.
Should City go the distance in the Champions League and FA Cup, then their workload would rise to 15, almost double Arsenal’s.
There is every chance that City’s heavier workload will prove to much, causing them to slip up at some stage.
However, Guardiola sees the end of season slog as a positive thing, and something that could even give his side the edge over Arsenal.
What did Guardiola say?
Speaking ahead of City’s Premier League clash against Leicester on Saturday, the manager was asked what impact playing so many matches will have on his team.
“Honestly I don’t know, sometimes our experience when we are every three days [playing] games, every four days, we have rhythm, we have incredible focus that helps us,” the City boss said.
“In the past it was like that, when we play in a lot of competitions until the end – it helps us.
“Sometimes when we play one game a week – our team – we lose the rhythm. When we play Saturday and then Tuesday or Wednesday, you have recovery, the minds of the players are always in here.
“When we have two days off, we have to come back, in the rhythm… sometimes we lose this type of feeling.
“But, at the end of the season, as I’ve said before, in six weeks, seven weeks, it’s over, so the player will do everything to keep going.”
As Guardiola said, City are no strangers to busy end-of-season schedules. In each of the last two seasons City juggled multiple competitions and still managed to put together long winning runs that sealed the title.
Arsenal’s players will certainly feel more rested, but the mindset playing every three days puts the City players in should not be underestimated.
