Pep Taunts Arsenal: Titles now bought, not earned

Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola, has thrown a jab at Arsenal ahead of Sunday’s blockbuster clash at the Emirates, claiming the Gunners are being handed a smoother ride over their transfer spending than his treble-winning side.

Arsenal splashed a staggering £300million this summer on new faces, including Viktor Gyokeres and Eberechi Eze, taking their total spending under Mikel Arteta since Covid to around £900m. Guardiola, whose City have spent a comparable £874m in the same period but recouped almost £550m through sales, sarcastically questioned why only his club face scrutiny.

“They decided to do it in Arsenal,” Guardiola said. “If my friend Mikel (Arteta) wins the title, it will be just because he spent, not because he worked a lot or his players. It’s like Liverpool, if Arne Slot wins, it will be because he spent money, right?”

The City boss didn’t stop there. “I know how they’ve been treated is completely different. But they’ve been wise, they spent what they believe they can to compete against the best teams. And they’ve reached that level,” he added.

The comments are likely to spark debate, given Arsenal hammered City 5-1 in February to officially dethrone them as champions, and are now chasing a first league crown since 2004.

Despite his swipe, Guardiola was quick to downplay Sunday’s encounter, insisting the Premier League race will not be decided this early. “We’re not going to win the Premier League on Sunday. We’re not going to lose it on Sunday. The important thing is the vibe of the team, the body language. That has grown up,” he said.

City travel to London on the back of a morale-boosting week – a derby win over Manchester United and a Champions League victory against Napoli. Guardiola has already started tweaking his midfield shape, hoping to build momentum.

For now, though, all eyes will be on the Emirates – and on whether Arteta’s spending spree can finally deliver what Arsenal fans have craved for over two decades, or if Guardiola’s sarcasm will echo as truth when the season reaches its climax.