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By Seyi Babalola
Pep Guardiola feels that Manchester City players do not feel extra pressure, despite having to beat Crystal Palace on Wednesday to keep their Premier League title ambitions alive.
With three games remaining, City are behind leaders Arsenal by five points, with a game in hand.
Failure to win at the Etihad would mean Mikel Arteta’s side could clinch their first Premier League title for 22 years against Burnley on Monday.
Guardiola was asked at his pre-match press conference on Tuesday how much pressure City were under after recent results, including last week’s damaging 3-3 draw at Everton.
“Same one, two days, three days, four days ago, one week, two weeks, same one,” he said.
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The City boss, chasing a seventh Premier League title in nine seasons, said he had not seen his players to gauge their mood since the dramatic end to Arsenal’s match at West Ham on Sunday.
The Gunners won 1-0 after relegation-threatened West Ham’s last-gasp equaliser was ruled out following a lengthy VAR check.
“I learned from my career as a manager, what you cannot control, forget about it,” said Guardiola.
“(Focus) and do better what we have not done better this season to fight for the Premier League. We are still fighting and (next it is) Crystal Palace.”
Palace visit Arsenal on the final day of the Premier League season, just days before facing Spanish side Rayo Vallecano in the Conference League final, but Guardiola is unconcerned about the possibility of fielding a weaker team.
“They are so professional, the teams,” he said. “Crystal Palace will play top. We saw Leeds yesterday against Spurs (a 1-1 draw), how even being out of the relegation battle… how they compete.”
