Maintaining steady form vital for Manchester Citys Premier League challenge according to Guardiola

Pep Guardiola feels Manchester City can challenge Arsenal for the Premier League crown if they keep up the high standards displayed in their comfortable 3-0 win over Sunderland on Saturday.

City narrowed the lead at the summit to just two points thanks to strikes from Ruben Dias, Josko Gvardiol, and Phil Foden, handing Sunderland only their fourth loss in 15 outings since returning to the English elite division.

The ease of the triumph stood in sharp relief to Cities previous two fixtures.

Guardiola’s squad required Foden’s injury time goal to edge Leeds 3-2 last weekend after squandering a 2-0 advantage, and they almost surrendered a 5-1 lead at Fulham on Tuesday before holding on for a 5-4 success.

Arsenals 2-1 setback against Aston Villa earlier that Saturday gave City an opportunity to draw nearer their rivals, and Guardiola took encouragement from his teams reversal of this seasons pattern of fading after the break.

In my view, securing the Premier League demands consistency, which stems from your playing style and development regardless of being 2-1 down or 4-1 up, Guardiola remarked.

Today might rank among the finest showings of the campaign over 95 minutes, with solid drive into the second period.

It traces back to the Wolves opener at the seasons start, where the first half shone but the second brought struggles, much like the strong start versus Fulham that halted post interval, we discussed those issues and the underlying causes.

Arsenal have placed second over the last three years, trailing City in the 2022/23 and 2023/24 races.

Mikel Artetas outfit faces a trip to the Etihad in April yet, and Guardiola noted his group must simply keep the pressure on Arsenal, who seek to halt a 22-year drought for the championship.

In the Premier League, it seems Arsenal will concede some points, so to stay in contention you need victories rooted in performance, not mere fortune or flukes, Guardiola continued.

I aim for the team to evolve, in Champions League knockouts or FA Cup ties one poor outing ends it, but the Premier League stretches on, and your displays determine your fate.

Versus Fulham it yielded three points, yet persisting with that second half effort would doom us, we would falter repeatedly.