Arsenal's Game-Changing Signings: How Man City's Guardiola Views Their 'Next Level' Potential in the Community Shield
Pep Guardiola admits Manchester City is not at their best ahead of the Community Shield clash against Arsenal, who have made significant signings this summer Follow the game on Sky Sports' live blog
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has acknowledged that Arsenal's summer acquisitions have elevated their performance to a higher level, anticipating their clash in the Community Shield on Sunday. Despite City overcoming Arsenal for the Premier League title last season, the Gunners have invested a total of £208m in new signings including Kai Havertz, Declan Rice, and Jurrien Timber.
City emerged victorious against Arsenal in all three of their previous campaign encounters, triumphing with an impressive aggregate score of 8-2. In contrast, Mikel Arteta, the current Arsenal manager, has only managed to secure a single win out of the ten matches he has faced against his former mentor.
Nonetheless, when questioned about Arsenal's recent developments and progress following their summer signings, Guardiola confidently affirmed, "Without a doubt, yes."
Mikel has successfully restored Arsenal to their previous position.
Guardiola, who guided City to a treble last season, also praised the acquisitions made by Manchester United, Liverpool, and Newcastle. He emphasized that many teams will be vying for success, making the challenge monumental for them.
It is impossible for anyone to win more than we have. However, the real test lies in our hunger and determination to defend our victories.
In the upcoming 11 months, especially during the tough times which will be more frequent than ever, we will discover our ability to overcome.
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Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice
City were also interested in signing Rice but pulled out of the race for the West Ham captain - something Guardiola says is not a source of disappointment.
"No way," he emphasized. "Declan Rice made the right choice by joining Arsenal. The offer he received was unbelievable. Wishing him all the best, as I firmly believe he is an extremely crucial player.
"In my opinion, he is not only a talented individual but also a genuinely kind person. He holds significant value for the national team, both now and in the future. Arsenal has acquired a truly exceptional player."
Pep: We are not in 'best way'
After securing the Premier League, Champions League, and FA Cup titles last season, City now have the opportunity to compete in the Community Shield at Wembley, the European Super Cup against Sevilla in Greece on August 16, and the Club World Cup in Saudi Arabia in December.Guardiola expresses his team's determination to further enrich their already impressive collection of trophies. However, he acknowledges that Arsenal appears to be ahead in their preparations for the upcoming season.
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Guardiola led Manchester City to their inaugural Champions League victory in the previous season.
"After winning the titles we have, it grants us the opportunity to compete for new ones," expressed Guardiola. "Over the past three years, we have participated in this competition and are set to face Sevilla in the upcoming weeks, followed by a match in Saudi Arabia during the winter."
We will definitely give it our best shot. Our pre-season began two weeks after Arsenal's, which puts us at a disadvantage as we finished two weeks later as well. Starting each season is always a challenge for us. Nevertheless, this is a final and we rely on our mindset to enable us to compete against them.
Follow the Community Shield between Arsenal and Man City across We on Sunday with our live blog; kick-off 4pm.
