Man City avoids Champions League humiliation but can Guardiola rescue Premier League campaign?
Man City avoids Champions League humiliation but can Guardiola rescue Premier League campaign?
Manchester City’s head coach Pep Guardiola celebrates with Bernardo Silva afte the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Manchester City and Club Brugge at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)
Manchester City’s head coach Pep Guardiola arrives to take his seat for the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Manchester City and Club Brugge at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)
Arsenal’s manager Mikel Arteta waits for the start of the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Girona and Arsenal at the Estadi Montilivi in Girona, Spain, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)
Manchester City’s head coach Pep Guardiola celebrates with Bernardo Silva afte the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Manchester City and Club Brugge at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)
Manchester City’s head coach Pep Guardiola celebrates with Bernardo Silva afte the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Manchester City and Club Brugge at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)
Manchester City’s head coach Pep Guardiola arrives to take his seat for the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Manchester City and Club Brugge at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)
Manchester City’s head coach Pep Guardiola arrives to take his seat for the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Manchester City and Club Brugge at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)
Arsenal’s manager Mikel Arteta waits for the start of the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Girona and Arsenal at the Estadi Montilivi in Girona, Spain, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)
Arsenal’s manager Mikel Arteta waits for the start of the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Girona and Arsenal at the Estadi Montilivi in Girona, Spain, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)
MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Manchester City avoided Champions League humiliation. Now back to the job of salvaging the Premier League season.
Manager Pep Guardiola admitted this week he could not imagine City going on to be crowned champion of Europe for the second time in three years with a playoff against Real Madrid or Bayern Munich awaiting.
The situation in the Premier League is even more precarious. Forget about that title, he said.
But even though Guardiola believes the 12-point gap to leader Liverpool is too much to make up, chasing down second-placed Arsenal is a far more realistic prospect.
City and the Gunners meet at Emirates Stadium on Sunday with Arsenal desperately trying to stay within reach of Liverpool and City on the rise again after an alarming midseason collapse.
Victory against Arsenal would move City to within three points of Mikel Arteta’s title hopeful and put second place in reach.
Big spenders
Guardiola has been unusually active during the January window in a bid to turn around a season that was lurching towards crisis at the end of last year.
Around $150 million has been spent on Egypt forward Omar Marmoush and defenders Abdukodir Khusanov and Vitor Reis. All three will be available for the next stage of the Champions League and will also bolster City’s depleted squad in the domestic season.
“In two weeks we will be better than we are now because players will be back and we will have the new signings,” Guardiola said of his team’s chances going forward.
Marmoush adds depth to City’s attack which has been over reliant on Erling Haaland. Center backs Khusanov and Reis strengthen an area that has been badly affected by injuries.
Big scorers
City’s results are improving and the goals are flowing.
Beating Chelsea last week made it six games without a loss in the Premier League, and 30 goals in its last eight games in all competitions. While the defense still looks fragile, the firepower is leading City’s recovery.
Six goals in seven games suggests Phil Foden is finding his feet again and there have been positive signs from Jack Grealish, too.
One more name is expected to leave the long injury list: Oscar Bobb is nearing a return after five months out.
City has mounted long unbeaten runs regularly from this time of the year, including a 35-game streak last term.
What about Arsenal?
Arsenal was City’s closest rival over the past two years — twice missing out on the title — and is leading the challenge to a Liverpool team that continues to keep all-comers at arm’s length.
Arsenal was expected to learn from the experience of twice running City close, but instead it looks to be feeling the effects of ending up emptyhanded.
Inconsistency has been the issue, and points have been dropped in unexpected fashion such as in the recent 2-2 draw with Aston Villa after leading 2-0. Two draws against Brighton have been costly, along with dropped points against Everton and Bournemouth.
Arteta’s team looks in need of a deadly forward, with Villa’s Ollie Watkins a reported target.
Arsenal is six points behind Liverpool, having played a game more, and can ill-afford many more slip-ups, if any.
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James Robson is at https://twitter.com/jamesalanrobson
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer