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Attendance: 54,483
Manchester City logo
Premier League | Gameweek 25
Feb 3, 2019 at 4.30pm UK
 
Arsenal logo

3-1

Aguero (1', 44', 61')
FT(HT: 2-1)
Koscielny (11')

Guardiola pleased as City bounce back with Arsenal win

Guardiola pleased as City bounce back with Arsenal win
© Reuters
Champions keep the pressure on Liverpool thanks to Aguero hat-trick

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola expressed his delight at the way in which the Blues had bounced back from their loss at Newcastle following the victory over Arsenal.

Sergio Aguero netted a hat-trick as City beat the Gunners 3-1 at the Etihad Stadium, five days on from losing 2-1 at St James' Park.

It saw the champions move back into second place in the Premier League, with the gap between them and leaders Liverpool reducing to two points ahead of the Reds facing West Ham away on Monday.

Guardiola said: "Against Newcastle we scored a goal (in the first minute) and didn't try again and again.

"No fight and (not) trying to have the intensity to score a second goal. Then a few days later we score the first goal (again in the opening minute), we try to get the second one and try to score more chances.

"I think that is the big lesson we can learn. When that happens, OK, we are a team who can be proud for what we do."

Guardiola, whose men are next in action when they take on Everton at Goodison Park on Wednesday, said when asked about the title race: "Many things are going to happen. Now we are two (points behind), tomorrow it can be three or two or it can be five again.

"But we are the only team, with Everton, playing in midweek and we have to go there to get three more points.

"I'm not in the mind of Jurgen (Klopp, the Liverpool manager) or the players.

"Every press conference, we put pressure on Liverpool, pressure onto us, 'what do you think about Liverpool?' I don't know really.

"What we have to do is try to make a good performance, or be ourselves – that is the main target we want to achieve and win our games. That's all."

The day after City lost on Tyneside, Liverpool missed the chance to extend their lead at the top to seven points as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Leicester at home.

Sergio Aguero was on target three times in Manchester City's win
Sergio Aguero was on target three times in Manchester City's win (Martin Rickett/PA)

Guardiola added on Sunday when asked about pressure on Liverpool and City: "I prefer to be in the position of Liverpool. I said many times I prefer to be there than in the position we are.

"The pressure is when you are behind, if you lose points, it will be tougher. When you are at the top with distance, always you can drop points and still you are there."

Aguero, who had netted after 24 seconds on Tuesday, scored a diving header after 46 against Arsenal, and following Laurent Koscielny's swift reply, added further close-range finises in the 44th and 61st minutes. It was the 14th hat-trick of his City career.

The Argentinian's third came off his arm, and he said on Sky Sports: "I think it came off my chest, but now I see on TV it was a handball."

Arsenal boss Unai Emery – whose side are sixth, three points off the top four – said: "They showed their superiority today over 90 minutes.

"I think the result is the difference between Manchester City and Arsenal today.

"Our situation now is that we need to think game by game, keep our regularity, be consistent over the course of 38 matches.

"Today, we lost but now we continue working. The next match for us is very important against Huddersfield next weekend.

"These are the matches where we can take the regularity to be in the position we want, near, closer to the top four.

"We know it's difficult and we need time also. But we must be self-demanding for finding that."

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Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool16123137162139
2Chelsea17105237191835
3Arsenal1796234161833
4Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest179442319431
5Bournemouth178452721628
6Aston Villa178452626028
7Manchester CityMan City178362925427
8Newcastle UnitedNewcastle177552721626
9Fulham176742422225
10Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton176742726125
11Tottenham HotspurSpurs1772839251423
12Brentford177283232023
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd176472122-122
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham175572230-820
15Everton163761421-716
16Crystal Palace173771826-816
17Leicester CityLeicester173592137-1614
18Wolverhampton WanderersWolves1733112740-1312
19Ipswich TownIpswich172691632-1612
20Southampton1713131136-256


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