Pep Guardiola Insists Man City Can Still Catch Arsenal After Damaging Spurs Draw
Manchester City suffered a frustrating setback in their Premier League title chase on Sunday, February 1, 2026, as they let a 2-0 lead slip away to draw 2-2 with Tottenham Hotspur at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Despite the dropped points leaving them trailing leaders Arsenal by six points, manager Pep Guardiola insisted his side has plenty of time and games left to turn things around.
Dramatic Comeback at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
City dominated the first half and looked in complete control. Rayan Cherki opened the scoring early with a clinical finish in the 11th minute, followed by Antoine Semenyo doubling the advantage just before the break in the 44th minute. Tottenham appeared flat and were even booed off at halftime by their own fans.
The second half told a very different story. Dominic Solanke sparked the revival for Spurs, scoring twice in quick succession—including a stunning scorpion-kick finish—to level the scores. The comeback gave Tottenham momentum and left City ruing missed chances to kill the game off.
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Commentators, including Gary Neville, highlighted how the draw handed a major boost to Arsenal, with Neville noting that “Arsenal are the real winners” from the weekend’s action.
Guardiola’s Post-Match Reaction: “14 Games Is a Lot”
Speaking to Sky Sports after the match, Pep Guardiola refused to hit the panic button. He praised his team’s overall performance while acknowledging the second-half dip.
“It was a good game,” Guardiola said. “After the goal they conceded, we struggled a bit. We came back again. In general it was a really good performance. Unfortunately we could not win.”
He pointed out that Tottenham sat deeper after going behind, found a goal, and shifted the momentum through some quick transitions. Still, he downplayed the long-term damage.
“We are playing at a high level. We didn’t have the consistency to win the games when others were able to do it, but 14 games is a lot of games. Six points [gap to Arsenal]. Next one.”
Guardiola’s message was clear: the season is far from over, and his team will keep pushing.
Arsenal Strengthen Grip on Top Spot
The draw came at the worst possible time for City, as Arsenal had already extended their advantage the day before. Mikel Arteta’s side delivered a ruthless 4-0 victory away at Leeds United on Saturday, January 31, 2026, with a dominant display that included goals from set pieces and clinical finishing.
Arteta was delighted with the response after a tricky run of results.
“We’re very happy, obviously,” he said post-match. “A very impressive performance, a very impressive result… We knew about the difficulty of the game and the opponent we’re facing… And after three results that didn’t go our way in the league, we really wanted to show how much we wanted it. I think we said something on that today.”
With Aston Villa also dropping points earlier in the weekend, Arsenal now sit comfortably six points clear at the top of the Premier League table (with some reports noting an even bigger gap after recent fixtures).
What This Means for the Premier League Title Race
The result keeps the 2025/26 Premier League title race very much alive. Manchester City remain in strong contention, but consistency will be key over the remaining 14 matches. Guardiola’s side have shown they can produce high-level football, as seen in the first half against Spurs, but they need to avoid similar collapses.
For Arsenal fans, the weekend felt like a statement: win when it matters and capitalize on any slip-ups from their rivals. Arteta’s team is competing strongly on multiple fronts and will look to maintain their momentum.
As the season enters its final stretch, every point counts. City will be desperate to close the gap when they return to action, while Arsenal aim to keep their lead intact.
Can Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City mount another famous comeback? Or will Arsenal hold firm and claim the title? The next few weeks will tell the story.
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Pep Guardiola Insists Man City Can Still Catch Arsenal After Damaging Spurs Draw