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Pep Guardiola insisted that his players "will try to be calm" in the title race after attending a 1-1 draw of Liverpool against West Ham on Monday.
Guardiola acknowledged that people thought his team in the city was "already made" after the defeat at Newcastle last week left Liverpool the chance to extend his lead to seven points at the top of the table.
But after Jurgen Klopp's team has dropped to two consecutive draws – against Leicester and West Ham – City now has the chance to top the standings with a win over Everton at Goodison Park on Wednesday.
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"Three or four days ago, we were already finished, the champions were in Liverpool and we can now be in the lead," Guardiola said.
"We try to be calm. There will be surprises and it will be difficult for the teams to win every game.
1/23 Manchester City vs Arsenal
Who impressed when Pep Guardiola's team beat Unai Emery at Etihad Stadium?
L & # 39; Independent
2/23 Ederson – 8 of 10
Exited superbly from his line to beat Aubameyang ball. Little to do to prevent Koscielny's equalization.
Getty
3/23 Kyle Walker – 6 out of 10
An improvement over some recent performances. Comfortable in the back three after playing the same role with England.
Getty
4/23 Nicolas Otamendi – 6 out of 10
A powerful presence at the back, sometimes too strong. A difficult challenge in the first half on Lacazette went unnoticed.
Getty
5/23 Aymeric Laporte – 7 out of 10
He won a rare pbad, went first to Aguero, then saw a goal denied for offside. Well covered for Sterling, who was alone on the left flank.
Getty
6/23 Fernandinho – 7 out of 10
Initially, he struggled to exercise his usual control over the midfielder in the first period, perhaps because he had to continue to fall back on defense, but that he had improved .
Getty
7/23 Bernardo Silva – 7 out of 10
Out of order and less influential than he, he often occupies a central role but remains concerned about the left flank of Arsenal.
Getty
8/23 Ilkay Gundogan – 8 out of 10
Almost without fault when distributing the ball. A delicate attack over the defense during the preparation of Aguero's goal was his best.
Getty
9/23 David Silva – 7 out of 10
Not Magical Il Mago, but a complete improvement of its exposure to St James' Park, dotted with a special touch or a special pbad.
Getty
10/23 Kevin De Bruyne – 6 out of 10
Did not have its usual influence on the game. A day out of time but almost nothing to worry about.
Getty
11/23 Raheem Sterling – 8 out of 10
Created two of Aguero's three, fantasizing behind Lichtsteiner for the second. Asked to cover the entire left flank but did not seem out of place.
Getty
12/23 Sergio Aguero – 9 out of 10
Header, right foot, left arm. An unconventional treble but its 14th in the colors of the city. The bad side of 30 now, but his predator instincts have not faltered.
Getty
13/23 Bernd Leno – 6 out of 10
Dives too early and in the wrong direction for the first of Aguero, but City repeatedly impresses several times thereafter.
Getty
14/23 Stephan Lichtsteiner – 5 out of 10
Caught by the intelligent movement of Sterling, especially on the second of City. The third choice of Arsenal in the back and it was visible.
Getty
15/23 Shkodran Mustafi – 6 out of 10
Monreal hit home but is guilty of letting Aguero go to the far post for City's crucial second place.
Getty
16/23 Laurent Koscielny – 5 out of 10
Five meters behind the rest of Arsenal's defense for Aguero's first game, against all City players, although he may not have anticipated Iwobi's mistake.
Getty
17/23 Nacho Monreal – 7 out of 10
Very nice draw on goal after the equalizer of Koscielny. Well managed with Bernardo despite the little support he received.
18/23 Alex Iwobi – 5 out of 10
Deposed to the depths of himself by Laporte. Attempted to repair his mistake and was tidy enough, but was hardly able to atone.
Getty
19/23 Lucas Torreira – 8 out of 10
We made several interceptions and key fights, especially when the impetus given by Arsenal was reversed in the first half.
Getty
20/23 Matteo Guendouzi – 7 out of 10
Bad start, but did not hide and grew up as and when. Widely closed the City midfielder with Torreira until the match moved away from Arsenal.
Getty
21/23 Sead Kolasinac – 6 out of 10
Posted in the middle of left field but perhaps too adventurous to the satisfaction of his right back, Monreal too often found himself head-to-head with Bernardo.
Getty
22/23 Alexandre Lacazette – 6 out of 10
He and Aubameyang were strangely seated, strengthening the Arsenal midfielder, which hindered his ability to progress.
Getty
23/23 Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang – 6 out of 10
As with Lacazette, often too deep to threaten, although a little brighter than his partner and the main threat of Arsenal in the counterattack.
Getty
1/23 Manchester City vs Arsenal
Who impressed when Pep Guardiola's team beat Unai Emery at Etihad Stadium?
L & # 39; Independent
2/23 Ederson – 8 of 10
Exited superbly from his line to beat Aubameyang ball. Little to do to prevent Koscielny's equalization.
Getty
3/23 Kyle Walker – 6 out of 10
An improvement over some recent performances. Comfortable in the back three after playing the same role with England.
Getty
4/23 Nicolas Otamendi – 6 out of 10
A powerful presence at the back, sometimes too strong. A difficult challenge in the first half on Lacazette went unnoticed.
Getty
5/23 Aymeric Laporte – 7 out of 10
He won a rare pbad, went first to Aguero, then saw a goal denied for offside. Well covered for Sterling, who was alone on the left flank.
Getty
6/23 Fernandinho – 7 out of 10
Initially, he struggled to exercise his usual control over the midfielder in the first period, perhaps because he had to continue to fall back on defense, but that he had improved .
Getty
7/23 Bernardo Silva – 7 out of 10
Out of order and less influential than he, he often occupies a central role but remains concerned about the left flank of Arsenal.
Getty
8/23 Ilkay Gundogan – 8 out of 10
Almost without fault when distributing the ball. A delicate attack over the defense during the preparation of Aguero's goal was his best.
Getty
9/23 David Silva – 7 out of 10
Not Magical Il Mago, but a complete improvement of its exposure to St James' Park, dotted with a special touch or a special pbad.
Getty
10/23 Kevin De Bruyne – 6 out of 10
Did not have its usual influence on the game. A day out of time but almost nothing to worry about.
Getty
11/23 Raheem Sterling – 8 out of 10
Created two of Aguero's three, fantasizing behind Lichtsteiner for the second. Asked to cover the entire left flank but did not seem out of place.
Getty
12/23 Sergio Aguero – 9 out of 10
Header, right foot, left arm. An unconventional treble but its 14th in the colors of the city. The bad side of 30 now, but his predator instincts have not faltered.
Getty
13/23 Bernd Leno – 6 out of 10
Dives too early and in the wrong direction for the first of Aguero, but City repeatedly impresses several times thereafter.
Getty
14/23 Stephan Lichtsteiner – 5 out of 10
Caught by the intelligent movement of Sterling, especially on the second of City. The third choice of Arsenal in the back and it was visible.
Getty
15/23 Shkodran Mustafi – 6 out of 10
Monreal hit home but is guilty of letting Aguero go to the far post for City's crucial second place.
Getty
16/23 Laurent Koscielny – 5 out of 10
Five meters behind the rest of Arsenal's defense for Aguero's first game, against all City players, although he may not have anticipated Iwobi's mistake.
Getty
17/23 Nacho Monreal – 7 out of 10
Very nice draw on goal after the equalizer of Koscielny. Well managed with Bernardo despite the little support he received.
18/23 Alex Iwobi – 5 out of 10
Deposed to the depths of himself by Laporte. Attempted to repair his mistake and was tidy enough, but was hardly able to atone.
Getty
19/23 Lucas Torreira – 8 out of 10
We made several interceptions and key fights, especially when the impetus given by Arsenal was reversed in the first half.
Getty
20/23 Matteo Guendouzi – 7 out of 10
Bad start, but did not hide and grew up as and when. Widely closed the City midfielder with Torreira until the match moved away from Arsenal.
Getty
21/23 Sead Kolasinac – 6 out of 10
Posted in the middle of left field but perhaps too adventurous to the satisfaction of his right back, Monreal too often found himself head-to-head with Bernardo.
Getty
22/23 Alexandre Lacazette – 6 out of 10
He and Aubameyang were strangely seated, strengthening the Arsenal midfielder, which hindered his ability to progress.
Getty
23/23 Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang – 6 out of 10
As with Lacazette, often too deep to threaten, although a little brighter than his partner and the main threat of Arsenal in the counterattack.
Getty
"Non-candidates have the ability to create problems. What concerns me the most is to never forget who we are as a team, doing what we need to do. That's what I want to watch, and after seeing the results, the chart. "
Guardiola also insisted that it was not a duel between him and Klopp at the top of the standings and that Chelsea and Manchester United – with respectively 12 and 14 points at the top of the standings – could also carry their title.
"I never said that Tottenham was not there. If United wins this series of wins every week, he will be there to fight for the Premier League.
"Now we judge the champions when we see the table and we are looking no further than the first two or three, but if Chelsea can win consecutive games, he will be a contender to win the Premier League.
"Everybody is here. The gap is not too big. There are 39 points to play. When you're nine or ten points behind, it's not too much. Seeing what happened right now, everyone is ready to take points.
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