‘Now you can criticise me’ – Guardiola on the title race with Arsenal, dropping points at West Ham and Haaland’s injury worry | OneFootball

Pep Guardiola says he has not given up hope of catching Arsenal despite admitting before Manchester City’s draw with West Ham that his side could not afford to drop any more points.

City were held to a 1-1 draw at the London Stadium after Konstantinos Mavropanos equalised following Bernardo Silva’s opener.

It means City trail Arsenal by nine points, though the Gunners have played a game more than their rivals.

“It’s more complicated, yeah,” Guardiola said on the title race.

“But we have one game in hand and Arsenal at home. I’m not saying it will be easy to beat them but it’s at home and always I’m positive and positive for next Tuesday (against Real Madrid) with our people.

“When it’s not possible, I will call Mikel and congratulate him but as long as it can happen, we want to be there.”

City have also been handed an injury worry over striker Erling Haaland, who appeared to be nursing an injury in the groin area towards the end of the game against West Ham.

“Hopefully his wife will be happy tonight,” Guardiola joked.

“I didn’t speak with the doctors and he didn’t tell me anything. I saw it in my perfect position (in the stands) today.”

On Haaland’s form, Guardiola continued: “The lack of goals, we miss him of course but it’s not about that. At the beginning of the season Phil (Foden) was unstoppable as well.

“It’s easy to say why, as a journalist or whatever, that the reason why is this player or this player, but I’m always miles away from that subject.

“We need his goals definitely but we need to create more.”

The City boss was pleased with his side’s overall performance against West Ham, but says their failure to take chances again cost them, as it has done in “many, many games this season”.

He also admitted he got his team selection wrong and says he deserves criticism.

“Now you can criticise me for the selection,” he added. “I deserve it.”