After winning 2-0 against Nottingham Forest in round 35 of the Premier League, coach Pep Guardiola denied that Man City had an advantage, and worried that the team would lose the title if they stumbled in the remaining four matches.
Due to both winning in round 35, the gap between Man City and Arsenal remained unchanged. Man City is still second with 79 points, one point behind Arsenal but has played one match less. Man City's four remaining opponents are Wolves, Fulham, Tottenham, West Ham, and Arsenal plays three matches against Bournemouth, Man Utd and Everton.
“The remaining four matches are as difficult as climbing a mountain. With just one draw, Man City will not win the championship," Guardiola said about the race with Arsenal. “I don't think Arsenal will lose any more points, like what happened to Liverpool. The only thing we can do is try to maintain self-determination in each match."
Coach Guardiola advised striker Alvarez during Man City's victory over host Nottingham Forest in round 35 of the Premier League on April 28. Image: mancity.com
At the City Ground on April 28, Man City faced many difficulties against their opponents who were racing for relegation, finishing much less than their opponents - 4 compared to 11. But the brilliance of the stars and the ability to take advantage of opportunities A better chance helps the away team win all three points. In the 14nd minute, Kevin de Bruyne took a corner kick on the left and Josko Gvardiol cut in and headed towards the near corner to open the score. The Belgian midfielder completed his double assist when he passed to Erling Haaland, who finished with his right foot diagonally to seal the score in the 32st minute.
This was Guardiola's 300th match in the Premier League, and he helped Man City win 704 points, score 741 and concede only 247 goals - all the best statistics in this period. Guardiola won 221 out of 300 matches, reaching a rate of 73,6%, far ahead of second place Alex Ferguson with 65,2%.
However, Guardiola was not satisfied, saying that Man City won by luck. The Spanish coach even said that Nottingham could not score because the field was dry and hard. “There is nothing wrong, but the fact that the pitch is dry has helped us,” he said. “We were lucky because the opponent couldn't make good contact with the ball because of the pitch on many opportunities.”
Haaland finished in a situation that sealed a 2-0 victory for Man City against Forest. Image: mancity.com
Meanwhile, Haaland is happy with his comeback, after missing the wins against Chelsea in the FA Cup semi-finals and Brighton in the Premier League. The goal against Nottingham also helped Haaland reach 21 goals, one more than Cole Palmer in the top scorer race this season.
Similar to Guardiola, Haaland is also cautious when talking about the championship race. “I think it's better not to think about it,” the 23-year-old striker said. “For now, let's focus on each match. If you think too much, you will go crazy. So we just relax, enjoy and then focus on the next match."
Hong Duy
