Pep Guardiola on Thursday said that Manchester City would be “destroyed” by Arsenal in the English Premier League title race if they do not improve, despite a stirring second-half fightback to beat Tottenham Hotspur 4-2.
Two goals in three minutes just before halftime from Dejan Kulusevski and Emerson Royal saw City staring down the barrel of a second consecutive defeat, but Julian Alvarez, Erling Haaland and Riyad Mahrez struck in a 12-minute period early in the second half, before Mahrez added his second late on to move Guardiola’s men to within five points of leaders Arsenal, who have a game in hand.
City and Arsenal are still to face each other twice in the league this season, but Guardiola took aim at his players for resting on their laurels after winning four league titles in five seasons.
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“We cannot deny how happy we are, but we are far away from the team that we were,” Guardiola said. “I want a reaction from all the club, not just the players. We are a happy flowers organization. I don’t want to be, I want to beat Arsenal. If we play that way, Arsenal will destroy us.”
Guardiola sent a message with his team selection with Kevin de Bruyne and Bernardo Silva among the star names dropped to the bench as Alvarez was paired alongside Haaland in a change of system.
Tottenham have made a habit of having to come from behind after slow starts this season, but the roles were reversed as a third defeat in four league games leaves Antonio Conte’s men still five points adrift of the top four.
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Spurs’ halftime lead owed much to uncharacteristic City mistakes.
Ederson’s wayward pass to Rodri played the Spanish midfielder into trouble and the ball eventually dropped to Kulusevski to slot in his first goal since the opening day of the season.
Moments later Rodri was dispossessed inside his own penalty area again by a Harry Kane tackle and when Ederson parried his shot, Emerson headed in the rebound.
“We gave them the first goal and then the second goal is ridiculous,” Guardiola said.
Guardiola stuck to his guns at halftime rather than sending on the cavalry from the bench and it paid off as the champions took just 18 minutes to turn the game around.
Alvarez started the fightback as the Argentine kept a cool head amid a goalmouth scramble to find the roof of the net.
Within two minutes the hosts were level as Haaland ended his three-game goal drought by heading in Mahrez’s ball across the face of goal.
It was Tottenham who should have struck next as Ivan Perisic’s shot from Kulusevski’s inviting cross deflected off Rico Lewis onto the post.
Instead, it was City who got the decisive fifth goal with questions set to be asked again of Tottenham goalkeeper Hugo Lloris.
The former French captain’s own-goal handed Arsenal the perfect start in the north London derby last weekend and he was beaten again at his near post, although Mahrez’s strike did take a deflection off Ben Davies.
Mahrez then took his tally since the World Cup break to six goals in seven games as he anticipated a slack touch from Clement Lenglet and this time left Lloris with no chance with a dinked finish over the advancing goalkeeper.
“This type of game with more experience you never lose,” Spurs manager Conte said. “This is the first time in my career my team conceded so many goals [in one half].”
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