Manchester City needed a last-minute winner to beat Arsenal
Pep Guardiola admitted that Manchester City were fortunate to beat Arsenal after Rodri’s last-minute winner secured the three points at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.
The home side went in front shortly after the half-hour mark after Bukayo Saka cooly slotted home to give the Gunners a deserved lead.
City’s equaliser met with controversy however as they were awarded a penalty following an overturn from VAR, who adjudged Granit Xhaka to have pulled down Bernardo Silva in the box.
Despite the protests, Riyad Mahrez promptly stepped up and converted from the spot before Gabriel was sent off shortly after he clattered into Gabriel Jesus.
But for all of Arsenal’s defensive exploits, they were unable to hold on, conceding in the dying seconds of the game, but Guardiola believes the home side were the better side.
“They [Arsenal] were better,” he told BT Sport.
“We faced a team that in the past years has struggled to be in the top four and started this year in the bottom, bottom, bottom and they are in the top four and they had six or seven days from Norwich, we had two and a half from Brentford going back to Manchester and coming back.
“And we didn’t have energy, that is why we tried to put one more player in midfield, for control.
"They were better. Arsenal were better today."
"But football happened in that situation and sometimes it comes on our side."
Pep Guardiola praised his players for showing character while low on energy, but admits Arsenal had the better of the play.
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“We tried in the second half to change it, football we try to analyse many things, sometimes it is the coin, sometimes it comes down on your side, sometimes the other side. That is the reality.
“We know what it means to win at the Emirates against Arsenal in the moment they are in. It was difficult, now we find time to rest.”
The win leaves City 11 points clear at the top, but Guardiola insisted that the title race is not over.
He said: “It is unlikely, I told you before. Eleven games [won] in a row, that is great in this period.
“Just take a look at our bench today, there were four guys from the academy.
“We had many cases of Covid and injuries. This period we were incredibly tired.
“Arsenal was better today. Sometimes it can happen.”
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