Goal difference caveat can’t distract Manchester City in Premier League run-in, says Pep Guardiola

Goal difference caveat can’t distract Manchester City in Premier League run-in, says Pep Guardiola Guardiola says goal difference can’t distract City from fundamental requirement of winning games City beat Arsenal 2-1 on Sunday courtesy of goals from Erling Haaland and Rayan Cherki Blues can go top of the table with win away at Burnley on Wednesday night Pep Guardiola has addressed the possibility of the Premier League title being decided by goal difference, insisting the scenario cannot distract his side from the primary objective of winning every remaining game. Manchester City cut Arsenal’s lead to three points with Sunday’s 2-1 victory at the Etihad Stadium, with Erling Haaland ‘s 65th-minute winner proving decisive after Rayan Cherki had opened the scoring and Kai Havertz levelled for the visitors. City now travel to Burnley on Wednesday in a game that could take them level on points with Arsenal at the top of the Premier League table, setting up a finale of extraordinary drama.

Burnley vs Manchester City (Premier League): Match Preview, Team News, Head to Head, How to Watch City won the season series against Arsenal, having beaten them 2-1 at the Etihad Stadium, meaning if goal difference and goals scored are also equal between the pair, the Blues would win the title. The only previous instance of the Premier League title being decided on goal difference was the famous 2011-12 season, a precedent that gives the ongoing run-in a deeply resonant historical context for City supporters. Guardiola: Goal difference cannot be a distraction Speaking ahead of Wednesday’s trip to Turf Moor, Guardiola acknowledged the possibility of goal difference coming into play while making clear it would not change how City approach their remaining fixtures.

“Yes, absolutely,” the 55-year-old said. “It can happen but it cannot be distracted from the fact that you’re going to score a lot of goals. It would be unbalanced, and without balance we’re going to concede a lot of goals.

It’s the same question. “I have the feeling that the opponents we face are going to score a lot of goals, I would say, the margin. The rivals are really, really good defensively when we talk mainly about the next opponent.