Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said to Sky Sports: “It was a good advert for the Premier League.
“They don’t allow you to go through the process, they’re so aggressive. They are good in the duels and one of the most competitive teams I ever faced in my career in terms of duels and one against one, long balls with Havertz and Rice, second balls – fantastic.
“We had momentum, they had momentum, we had chances, they had chances. At the end in these type of games, it is little margins.”
On quality of the game: “Absolutely, both teams are good – really top managers! And really top players for both sides.
“I’ve been so demanding but the reality is, it’s just one game. They are top of the league with one goal difference [better than City].
“We have to enjoy it, celebrate it, take the good things but don’t lose the focus. The focus is in three days, we go to Burnley.”
On Arsenal adjustments from cup final: “Maybe they played more direct than at Wembley.”
Ball sticks more with Havertz up front? “Yeah but Gyokeres is also strong and, especially the second balls, they are so good. It’s good delivery from Raya.
“But we know the speed that they have and the set pieces. When we concede a lot of corners, free-kicks and they are top. They had four or five strikers and Gabriel at the end, and good delivery as well.
“Sometimes it is difficult to control because we are tired. At the end I’m happy because we can extend the hope and, maybe until the end, we will try.”
Pep said to BBC Match of the Day regarding the title race: “Yeah of course. Yeah. Still we hope. But the truth is that we had a horrible calendar and we are not top of the league. So far they are the best team in England but we extend the chance to fight until the end.”
On best bit of today’s performance: “That we won against that team. So competitive, so incredible. We had momentum, they had momentum, today we go away with three.”
On whether City have better momentum than Arsenal now: “I don’t know, I didn’t think Arsenal were in bad momentum. In the Carabao Cup we were better. Today we were really good. They came here after the defeat with hunger and we won. They are are so competitive, we know that. But at the same time, we are too.
“The table speaks for itself. They have been the best. Congratulations to the guys, but don’t lose the focus. Wednesday is our game in hand and we can be there if we win. That’s what we have to do. Doing it will be so difficult because Everton or Brentford, or Aston Villa, Crystal Palace. The games that we have. Bournemouth away. Last week they won in Emirates and Newcastle. It will be more difficult.”
Arteta, to Sky Sports, regarding fine margins making the difference: “That’s exactly that and when you don’t do it and they have individual quality to deliver in those moments, you risk losing the game because I don’t think there was any difference between the teams.”
On if the defeat came down to bad luck: “There are a few elements. There is an element of luck with whether the ball goes in or not. The second one the ball deflects, it goes to Haaland.
“There is individual quality as well and there is, in that moment, to be so cool, precise and ruthless. You have to be that.”
On Arsenal’s performance: “You could see at the end of the game, and right from the beginning, the attitude of the team. We could have been a bit more composed in certain moments but we certainly took the game to where we wanted and we had big chances to win.
“We went very close but not close enough and now we have to accept we lost an opportunity today, a big one, but there are still five games to go. We need to reset and go again because there are a lot of positives to take from the game.”
On the approach: “With the ball we had the same [intent] and we generated the situations that we believed we could generate.
“There is even one where Kai [Havertz] is totally free on the halfway to go one-on-one. We are in the level that we are in because this team has taken us there. That’s the level you need to be to win it.
“Today there are certainly elements, in front of goal which is the most important one, and big chances – you have to put them away to come away from the Etihad with three points.”
On the quality of the match: “Yes, there was moments but it was a battle as well, and intensity, because you expect that.
“There were big parts of the game that had similarities with the first 28 minutes of the cup final because we had two massive chances to go ahead – and we didn’t. That changes the course of the game.
“We take it game by game, we had some very good moments a few days ago in the Champions League against Sporting.
“We are playing so many games, we are the only team that is playing and playing and playing, that’s a difference as well.
“But the positive is that today we have seen the level and there are five games to go. We are going to give it a real go.”
On effect of losing this match: “We have full belief that we can do it. Today we showed again the team that we are. It’s in our hands and it’s there for the taking.”
