In the pre-match press conference for the 5th round of the Premier League home match against Arsenal, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola expressed his expectations for this marquee match and his high opinion of Arsenal. He said: "Arsenal is a very good team, they are doing very well in all aspects, whether it is high-pressure pressing, depth of defense or offensive and defensive conversion, have shown a very high level. They have been our biggest rivals in the Premier League over the past two seasons and have continued to improve each season with a deeper and stronger squad."
On the situation of team centerpiece Kevin De Bruyne, Guardiola revealed, "De Bruyne is feeling a little bit better at the moment, but not fully recovered. We will train tomorrow and his fitness will be assessed then, and it is possible that he will play against Arsenal."
Talking about last season's draw with Arsenal at home, Guardiola made special mention of the Arsenal defenders' tight focus on Harland: "Saliba and Gabriel were very focused on Harland during the game, sometimes even two-on-one or even three-on-one defending, which made it very difficult for us to attack."
Regarding the absence of Arsenal's central midfielder Ödgön due to injury, Guardiola expressed his regret: "I feel sorry for him because he is a very important player. But Arsenal's squad depth is very strong and they have invested a lot of money in replenishing their squad, which makes them better and better every year."
In addition, Guardiola also talked about City's advantage in terms of fixtures: "Arsenal only played a Champions League match in the early hours of this morning, while we have one more day's rest than them, which is indeed an advantage. But the soccer game is not just about recovery time, it's more about the players' condition and the team's tactical preparation."
Speaking about former Manchester City player Sterling joining Arsenal, Guardiola sent his best wishes but also said he hopes he doesn't do too well in Sunday's game.
In response to Rodri's previous comments about the intensity of the fixtures potentially leading to player strikes, Guardiola agreed and emphasized that the players' opinions are vital in soccer: "The sport of soccer cannot be separated from the players, who are at the heart of the game. If you want to make changes, you must listen to the voice of the players."
Finally, Guardiola expressed caution about City's long undefeated home record in the Premier League: "I don't like to answer questions about undefeated records because soccer games are always full of variables. We need to focus on each game and prepare well to continue such a good record." Meanwhile, he also expressed his delight at the return of Foden: "Foden was one of the best players in the Premier League last season, and his return will give us a greater attacking threat."
