Arsenal -Baas Mikel Arteta believes that Pep Guardiola has put such a high bar in the struggle of Manchester City that he has no room for improvement.
The reigning Premier League champions, who have held the title in the last four years, went into this campaign in search of a record -extending five on the bounce -but they fell at relatively tough times.
The side of Guardiola squeezed through the Champions League group phase through the skin of their teeth and has so far lost six games in the English top flight. That is double the number of defeats they have suffered in the entire previous term, which means that they were 12 points from leaders Liverpool and six discounts on the second Gunners placed prior to this weekend's trip to the Emirates on Sunday afternoon.
The head coach of City has passed a difficult festive period and his former assistant -arteta fears that Guardiola has set the bar too high in the light of his shimmering football and six competition titles in the Etihad.
“The bar is so high for him that he cannot go higher,” Arteta told Marca. “So you maintain it, or people will say that you are declining based on the results they see, not at the work that is done.
“Everyone knows how much I love him and how grateful I am for the chance he has given me. We have known each other for many years. Apart from the competitive aspect between our clubs, I always wish him the best, and he knows it One is really feeling with regard to results, he knows that things change very quickly. “
The men of Arteta also did not perform on the flawless standard they have set in the past two seasons. Despite the drawing of eight league matches, they stay close behind the leading Reds on 47 points, with a crucial collision against Guardiola's side.
While the results of the city have been picked up lately, because their last two league matches have seen them pouring Ipswich Town 6-0 and Chelsea 3-1 lead, a defeat in Europe against PSG and a non-convincing 3-1 win at home against Club Brugge against Club Brugge indicate that they are not entirely the side of old – something that Guardiola realizes.
“Life is not the next 20 years or century that the city will win [all] The most important competitions. Sometimes it happens: accept reality, we are struggling, “Guardiola admitted at the beginning of January.
“We will come back again. I want to fight and try to deliver people proudly. Of course, if they (the fans) help us, it will be easier, that's for sure. If they help us get away from that we were, it will be shorter.
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