Pep Guardiola on criticism of Mikel Arteta's touchline behaviour: “When you cannot catch the top of the PL, they [the critics] have to underestimate you for another reason. And they [Arsenal] are doing that right now. I know quite well this situation. Mikel [Arteta] wanted to leave Man City! What do you want me to say? Put a chain here [on his wrist] and say, ‘No, you don’t leave!. I’m so happy for him, I have massive respect... Now it’s easy to ask this question because they have 50 points. "It’s before that you have to tell me, Why did you let Mikel leave? When they weren't qualified for the UCL, or not there [competing for the PL title]. Tell me then! Not now. It’s the same person, the same manager, the same everything.” “Friends of mine, or people there, they have dreams to achieve because they want to do it. Who am I to avoid them of that? Who am I?! I’m not, because after this guy cannot behave the best he can. It’s as simple as that.” 

Pep Guardiola on Man City fans' thoughts on the club's decision to allow Arteta, Jesus, and Zinchenko to leave: “How many fans do we have? I’d have to speak to every one of them to know exactly their opinion. I don’t know the opinion of the fans. I would love to know it. If one person writes one sentence in the newspaper, or a podcast, wherever, that doesn’t mean it’s the reality of what the fans think. I’m pretty sure they’re delighted for what Gabriel and Aleks have done for us. But this happens.”


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Riyad Mahrez “We're going to go for it. It'll be important to win vs  Arsenal. It's a challenge vs a good team, first in the PL at the moment. They're the best team in the country at the moment. But they're coming to us on Friday. Let’s see what they can offer. They've been really good, but we are used it. Every year we've had a team [pushing us in the PL]. Liverpool for four or five years... At the moment, they are in front but there is still a long way to go.”