Pep Guardiola has shared that Arsenal are ‘one of the best’ teams in form in the Premier League right now, as he told Amazon Prime.
The Manchester City boss added that for the first time in ‘five or six years’ they are facing Arsenal in their ‘best moment’.
Earlier on in the season, the current champions well and truly battered the Gunners to pile on the pressure on Mikel Arteta.
At that time, if Arsenal sacked Arteta then not many people would have batted an eyelid because they were sitting rock-bottom of the table.
But since then, they have picked themselves up from the canvas and surged up the Premier League table.
And Guardiola was full of praise for the north London club ahead of their meeting on New Year’s Day.
“No, we don’t have much time,” said Guardiola. “We arrive late to Manchester, then after, the day after tomorrow we have to come back (to London after beating Brentford on Wednesday night).
“Then, at 12:30 pm, we are playing 1st January against, maybe right now, one of the best teams in top form right now is Arsenal.
“It’s maybe we get them in the best moments in the last four, five or six years. And everyone can agree with me.
“But, yeah, it’s another one. Now we rest, recover and then we try to do it.”
One man that won’t be present for the weekend showdown is Guardiola’s former right-hand man in Arteta.
The Arsenal boss has tested positive for COVID-19 ahead of that game and will have to guide his team from afar.
Throughout this season, the Gunners have outclassed teams they have been expected to beat, but been second-best against the so-called better sides.
In front of their own supporters, this will be a real test for this young Arsenal side and a real indication as to where they are heading.
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