Pep Guardiola sends Arsenal title warning but fears Mikel Arteta’s side could set new Premier League record

Pep Guardiola believes Arsenal are capable of amassing 100 points in the Premier League this season (Picture: Hayters TV)

Pep Guardiola has warned Arsenal his Manchester City side maintain the hunger to defend their Premier League crown but fears the current leaders are setting a record breaking pace.

The Gunners will head into 2023 top of the table, regardless of their result at Brighton this evening, having opened up a five-point gap over City.

Guardiola’s men are aiming to hunt down the Gunners and claim a fifth title in sixth seasons but winning a maiden Champions League crown could yet prove a distraction.

The Spaniard insists, however, that his highly-motivated squad won’t be lacking motivation or focus during the second half of the campaign but is concerned by the quality and consistency Mikel Arteta’s side have been demonstrating.

Arsenal have dropped points on just two occasions so far this season and have passed almost every test they have encountered thus far with Guardiola now concerned his ex-assistant is capable of driving the Gunners to a 100 point season and matching City’s class of 2019.

‘Arsenal have done brilliantly and they are better than us,’ admitted Guardiola ahead of City’s New Year’s Eve clash against struggling Everton.

‘These margins you cannot compete against them. You cannot fight against them. If Arsenal continue to win and draw, they will be champions.

‘With this rhythm, it is a rhythm they can get 100 points. But it is a long season and many things are going to happen.’

On his own side’s desire to catch Arsenal, he added: ‘We did many good things and still have the desire and hunger to do it.

‘When you win a lot, it is easier to handle the situations but, on the other side, it is, ‘Oh we have to do it again’. It’s complicated. Arsenal have done brilliantly and have been better than us so far (but) it’s not 15 or 20 points. We are close.

‘I prefer to be closer but we are not finished the first leg (of fixtures). It’s not a big distance.

‘We won four in five years but seeing the way we played at Leeds, after the contenders all won, I see the desire. It made me feel, ‘OK, let’s prove ourselves again’.

‘The moment I feel something is broken I will resign or not extend.’

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Man City’s title winners in 2019 amassed 100 Premier League points.